1
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Cyriac R, Lee K. Glutaminase inhibition as potential cancer therapeutics: current status and future applications. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2024; 39:2290911. [PMID: 38078371 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2023.2290911] [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: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations in normal metabolic processes are defining features of cancer. Glutamine, an abundant amino acid in the human blood, plays a critical role in regulating several biosynthetic and bioenergetic pathways that support tumour growth. Glutaminolysis is a metabolic pathway that converts glutamine into various metabolites involved in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and generates antioxidants that are vital for tumour cell survival. As glutaminase catalyses the initial step of this metabolic pathway, it is of great significance in cancer metabolism and tumour progression. Inhibition of glutaminase and targeting of glutaminolysis have emerged as promising strategies for cancer therapy. This review explores the role of glutaminases in cancer metabolism and discusses various glutaminase inhibitors developed as potential therapies for tumour regression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajath Cyriac
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
- Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, Korea National University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Kwangho Lee
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
- Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, Korea National University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
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2
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Mayberry CL, Wilson JJ, Sison B, Chang CH. Protocol to assess bioenergetics and mitochondrial fuel usage in murine autoreactive immunocytes using the Seahorse Extracellular Flux Analyzer. STAR Protoc 2024; 5:102971. [PMID: 38536814 PMCID: PMC10987915 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.102971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient metabolism, or the means by which cells produce energy resources, is critical for proper effector function. Here, we present a protocol for examining the bioenergetics and mitochondrial fuel utilization of primary murine autoreactive immunocytes using cellular metabolism-modulating drugs. We describe steps for plate calibration, isolation of primary immunocytes, and Seahorse assay plate preparation. We then detail procedures for performing the XF Cell Mito Stress Test followed by bioenergetics calculations and statistics. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wilson et al.1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chih-Hao Chang
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
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3
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Anthony J, Varalakshmi S, Sekar AK, Devarajan N, Janakiraman B, Peramaiyan R. Glutaminase - A potential target for cancer treatment. Biomedicine (Taipei) 2024; 14:29-37. [PMID: 38939098 PMCID: PMC11204126 DOI: 10.37796/2211-8039.1445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The overexpression of glutaminase is reported to influence cancer growth and metastasis through glutaminolysis. Upregulation of glutamine catabolism is recently recognized as a critical feature of cancer, and cancer cells are observed to reprogram glutamine metabolism to maintain its survival and proliferation. Special focus is given on the glutaminase isoform, GLS1 (kidney type glutaminase), as the other isoform GLS2 (Liver type glutaminase) acts as a tumour suppressor in some conditions. Glutaminolysis linked with autophagy, which is mediated via mTORC1, also serves as a promising target for cancer therapy. Glutamine also plays a vital role in maintaining redox homeostasis. Inhibition of glutaminase aggravates oxidative stress by reducing glutathione level, thus leading to apoptotic-mediated cell death in cancer cells Therefore, inhibiting the glutaminase activity using glutaminase inhibitors such as BPTES, DON, JHU-083, CB-839, compound 968, etc. may answer many intriguing questions behind the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells and serve as a prophylactic treatment for cancer. Earlier reports neither discuss nor provide perspectives on exact signaling gene or pathway. Hence, the present review highlights the plausible role of glutaminase in cancer and the current therapeutic approaches and clinical trials to target and inhibit glutaminase enzymes for better cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Anthony
- Department of Research, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research (MAHER-Deemed to be University), Chennai 600 078, Tamil Nadu,
India
| | - Sureka Varalakshmi
- Department of Research, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research (MAHER-Deemed to be University), Chennai 600 078, Tamil Nadu,
India
| | - Ashok Kumar Sekar
- Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai 600 025, Tamil Nadu,
India
| | - Nalini Devarajan
- Department of Research, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research (MAHER-Deemed to be University), Chennai 600 078, Tamil Nadu,
India
| | - Balamurugan Janakiraman
- SRM College of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203,
India
| | - Rajendran Peramaiyan
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biochemistry, Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Saveetha Dental College & Hospital, Saveetha University, Chennai 600 077, Tamil Nadu,
India
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4
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Sarkarai Nadar V, Yoshinaga-Sakurai K, Rosen BP. Anticancer Effects of the Trivalent Organoarsenical 2-Amino-4-(dihydroxyarsinoyl) Butanoate. Organometallics 2024; 43:1137-1142. [PMID: 38817537 PMCID: PMC11134607 DOI: 10.1021/acs.organomet.4c00082] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women. The lack of progesterone and estrogen receptors in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells results in a lack of response to hormonal, monoclonal, or tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapies. Despite intensive drug discovery, there is still no approved targeted treatment for TNBC. The metalloid arsenic has been used in herbal medicines, antibiotics, and chemotherapeutic drugs for centuries. This paper demonstrates that a trivalent arsenic-containing, nonproteogenic amino acid, R-AST-OH (2-amino-4-(dihydroxyarsinoyl) butanoate), inhibits kidney-type glutaminase (KGA), the enzyme that controls glutamine metabolism and is correlated with tumor malignancy. Cell-based assays using the TNBC MDA-MB-231 and HCC1569 cell lines showed that R-AST-OH kills TNBC cells and is not cytotoxic to a control cell line. The results of in silico molecular docking predictions indicate that R-AST-OH binds to the glutamine binding site and forms a covalent bond with an active site cysteine residue. We hypothesize that R-AST-OH is a single warhead for KGA that irreversibly binds to KGA through the formation of an As-S bond. We propose that R-AST-OH is a promising lead compound for the design of new drugs for the treatment of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkadesh Sarkarai Nadar
- Department of Cellular and Molecular
Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Kunie Yoshinaga-Sakurai
- Department of Cellular and Molecular
Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Barry P. Rosen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular
Medicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, United States
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5
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Abid F, Saleem M, Jamshaid T, Jamshaid U, Youssef FS, Diri RM, Elhady SS, Ashour ML. Opuntia monacantha: Validation of the anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity of its polyphenolic rich extract in silico and in vivo via assessment of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 326:117884. [PMID: 38350502 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Opuntia monacantha belongs to the cactus family Cactaceae and is also known by cochineal prickly pear, Barbary fig or drooping prickly pear. It was traditionally used to treat pain and inflammation. O. monacantha cladodes showed pharmacological effects such as antioxidant potential owing to the presence of certain polysaccharides, flavonoids, and phenols. AIM OF THE STUDY This research aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory as well as the anti-arthritic potential of ethanol extract of Opuntia monacantha (E-OM). MATERIALS AND METHODS In vivo edema in rat paw was triggered by carrageenan and used to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity, while induction of arthritis by Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) rat model was done to measure anti-arthritic potential. In silico studies of the previously High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) characterized metabolites of ethanol extract was performed by using Discovery Studio 4.5 (Accelrys Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) within active pocket of glutaminase 1 (GLS1) (PDB code: 3VP1; 2.30 Å). RESULTS EOM, particularly at 750 mg/kg, caused a reduction in the paw edema significantly and decreased arthritic score by 80.58% compared to the diseased group. It revealed significant results when histopathology of ankle joint was examined at 28th day as it reduced inflammation by 18.06%, bone erosion by 15.50%, and pannus formation by 24.65% with respect to the diseased group. It restored the altered blood parameters by 7.56%, 18.47%, and 3.37% for hemoglobin (Hb), white blood count (WBC), and platelets, respectively. It also reduced rheumatoid factor RF by 13.70% with concomitant amelioration in catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels by 19%, and 34.16%, respectively, in comparison to the diseased group. It notably decreased mRNA expression levels of COX-2, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1, NF-κβ and augmented the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in real time PCR with respect to the diseased group and piroxicam. HPLC analysis previously performed showed that phenolic acids and flavonoids are present in E-OM. Molecular docking studies displayed pronounced inhibitory potential of these compounds towards glutaminase 1 (GLS1), approaching and even exceeding piroxicam. CONCLUSIONS Thus, Opuntia monacantha could be a promising agent to manage inflammation and arthritis and could be incorporated into pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Abid
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of South Asia, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Mohammad Saleem
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Talha Jamshaid
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
| | - Usama Jamshaid
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Fadia S Youssef
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain-Shams University, Abbasia, Cairo, 11566, Egypt.
| | - Reem M Diri
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Sameh S Elhady
- Department of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mohamed L Ashour
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain-Shams University, Abbasia, Cairo, 11566, Egypt; Pharmacy Program, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, 21442, Saudi Arabia.
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6
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Liu Y, Wu Z, Li Y, Chen Y, Zhao X, Wu M, Xia Y. Metabolic reprogramming and interventions in angiogenesis. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00178-4. [PMID: 38704087 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endothelial cell (EC) metabolism plays a crucial role in the process of angiogenesis. Intrinsic metabolic events such as glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation, and glutamine metabolism, support secure vascular migration and proliferation, energy and biomass production, as well as redox homeostasis maintenance during vessel formation. Nevertheless, perturbation of EC metabolism instigates vascular dysregulation-associated diseases, especially cancer. AIM OF REVIEW In this review, we aim to discuss the metabolic regulation of angiogenesis by EC metabolites and metabolic enzymes, as well as prospect the possible therapeutic opportunities and strategies targeting EC metabolism. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW In this work, we discuss various aspects of EC metabolism considering normal and diseased vasculature. Of relevance, we highlight that the implications of EC metabolism-targeted intervention (chiefly by metabolic enzymes or metabolites) could be harnessed in orchestrating a spectrum of pathological angiogenesis-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zifang Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Yikun Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, China
| | - Yating Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Miaomiao Wu
- Animal Nutritional Genome and Germplasm Innovation Research Center, College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China.
| | - Yaoyao Xia
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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7
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Masci D, Puxeddu M, Silvestri R, La Regina G. Metabolic Rewiring in Cancer: Small Molecule Inhibitors in Colorectal Cancer Therapy. Molecules 2024; 29:2110. [PMID: 38731601 PMCID: PMC11085455 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29092110] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Alterations in cellular metabolism, such as dysregulation in glycolysis, lipid metabolism, and glutaminolysis in response to hypoxic and low-nutrient conditions within the tumor microenvironment, are well-recognized hallmarks of cancer. Therefore, understanding the interplay between aerobic glycolysis, lipid metabolism, and glutaminolysis is crucial for developing effective metabolism-based therapies for cancer, particularly in the context of colorectal cancer (CRC). In this regard, the present review explores the complex field of metabolic reprogramming in tumorigenesis and progression, providing insights into the current landscape of small molecule inhibitors targeting tumorigenic metabolic pathways and their implications for CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domiziana Masci
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensivological and Perioperative Clinics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Michela Puxeddu
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.P.); (R.S.)
| | - Romano Silvestri
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.P.); (R.S.)
| | - Giuseppe La Regina
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.P.); (R.S.)
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8
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Coffey NJ, Simon MC. Metabolic alterations in hereditary and sporadic renal cell carcinoma. Nat Rev Nephrol 2024; 20:233-250. [PMID: 38253811 PMCID: PMC11165401 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-023-00800-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Kidney cancer is the seventh leading cause of cancer in the world, and its incidence is on the rise. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common form and is a heterogeneous disease comprising three major subtypes that vary in their histology, clinical course and driver mutations. These subtypes include clear cell RCC, papillary RCC and chromophobe RCC. Molecular analyses of hereditary and sporadic forms of RCC have revealed that this complex and deadly disease is characterized by metabolic pathway alterations in cancer cells that lead to deregulated oxygen and nutrient sensing, as well as impaired tricarboxylic acid cycle activity. These metabolic changes facilitate tumour growth and survival. Specifically, studies of the metabolic features of RCC have led to the discovery of oncometabolites - fumarate and succinate - that can promote tumorigenesis, moonlighting functions of enzymes, and substrate auxotrophy owing to the disruption of pathways that enable the production of arginine and cholesterol. These metabolic alterations within RCC can be exploited to identify new therapeutic targets and interventions, in combination with novel approaches that minimize the systemic toxicity of metabolic inhibitors and reduce the risk of drug resistance owing to metabolic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J Coffey
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - M Celeste Simon
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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9
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Shanderson RL, Ferguson ID, Siprashvili Z, Ducoli L, Li AM, Miao W, Srinivasan S, Velasco MG, Li Y, Ye J, Khavari PA. Mitochondrial Raf1 Regulates Glutamine Catabolism. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.581297. [PMID: 38496616 PMCID: PMC10942467 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.581297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Raf kinases play vital roles in normal mitogenic signaling and cancer, however, the identities of functionally important Raf-proximal proteins throughout the cell are not fully known. Raf1 proximity proteomics/BioID in Raf1-dependent cancer cells unexpectedly identified Raf1-adjacent proteins known to reside in the mitochondrial matrix. Inner-mitochondrial localization of Raf1 was confirmed by mitochondrial purification and super-resolution microscopy. Inside mitochondria, Raf1 associated with glutaminase (GLS) in diverse human cancers and enabled glutaminolysis, an important source of biosynthetic precursors in cancer. These impacts required Raf1 kinase activity and were independent of canonical MAP kinase pathway signaling. Kinase-dead mitochondrial matrix-localized Raf1 impaired glutaminolysis and tumorigenesis in vivo. These data indicate that Raf1 localizes inside mitochondria where it interacts with GLS to engage glutamine catabolism and support tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald L. Shanderson
- Program in Cancer Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ian D. Ferguson
- Program in Cancer Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Zurab Siprashvili
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Luca Ducoli
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Albert M. Li
- Program in Cancer Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Weili Miao
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Suhas Srinivasan
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | | | - Yang Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jiangbin Ye
- Program in Cancer Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Paul A. Khavari
- Program in Cancer Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
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10
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Fan Y, Xue H, Li Z, Huo M, Gao H, Guan X. Exploiting the Achilles' heel of cancer: disrupting glutamine metabolism for effective cancer treatment. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1345522. [PMID: 38510646 PMCID: PMC10952006 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1345522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells have adapted to rapid tumor growth and evade immune attack by reprogramming their metabolic pathways. Glutamine is an important nitrogen resource for synthesizing amino acids and nucleotides and an important carbon source in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and lipid biosynthesis pathway. In this review, we summarize the significant role of glutamine metabolism in tumor development and highlight the vulnerabilities of targeting glutamine metabolism for effective therapy. In particular, we review the reported drugs targeting glutaminase and glutamine uptake for efficient cancer treatment. Moreover, we discuss the current clinical test about targeting glutamine metabolism and the prospective direction of drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Fan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Han Xue
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Zhimin Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mingge Huo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Hongxia Gao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, School of Medical Technology, Beihua University, Jilin City, China
| | - Xingang Guan
- Department of Basic Medicine, Medical School, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China
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11
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Guo CJ, Wang ZX, Liu JL. Structural basis for activation and filamentation of glutaminase. Cell Res 2024; 34:76-79. [PMID: 37833360 PMCID: PMC10770349 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-023-00886-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Jun Guo
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zi-Xuan Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Long Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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12
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Gao G, Sumrall ES, Pitchiaya S, Bitzer M, Alberti S, Walter NG. Biomolecular condensates in kidney physiology and disease. Nat Rev Nephrol 2023; 19:756-770. [PMID: 37752323 DOI: 10.1038/s41581-023-00767-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
The regulation and preservation of distinct intracellular and extracellular solute microenvironments is crucial for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. In mammals, the kidneys control bodily salt and water homeostasis. Specifically, the urine-concentrating mechanism within the renal medulla causes fluctuations in extracellular osmolarity, which enables cells of the kidney to either conserve or eliminate water and electrolytes, depending on the balance between intake and loss. However, relatively little is known about the subcellular and molecular changes caused by such osmotic stresses. Advances have shown that many cells, including those of the kidney, rapidly (within seconds) and reversibly (within minutes) assemble membraneless, nano-to-microscale subcellular assemblies termed biomolecular condensates via the biophysical process of hyperosmotic phase separation (HOPS). Mechanistically, osmotic cell compression mediates changes in intracellular hydration, concentration and molecular crowding, rendering HOPS one of many related phase-separation phenomena. Osmotic stress causes numerous homo-multimeric proteins to condense, thereby affecting gene expression and cell survival. HOPS rapidly regulates specific cellular biochemical processes before appropriate protective or corrective action by broader stress response mechanisms can be initiated. Here, we broadly survey emerging evidence for, and the impact of, biomolecular condensates in nephrology, where initial concentration buffering by HOPS and its subsequent cellular escalation mechanisms are expected to have important implications for kidney physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoming Gao
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Center for RNA Biomedicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Emily S Sumrall
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Center for RNA Biomedicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Markus Bitzer
- Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Simon Alberti
- Technische Universität Dresden, Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) and Center for Molecular and Cellular Engineering (CMCB), Dresden, Germany
| | - Nils G Walter
- Department of Chemistry and Center for RNA Biomedicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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13
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Ren LL, Mao T, Meng P, Zhang L, Wei HY, Tian ZB. Glutamine addiction and therapeutic strategies in pancreatic cancer. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2023; 15:1852-1863. [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i11.1852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal diseases worldwide owing to its late diagnosis, early metastasis, and poor prognosis. Because current therapeutic options are limited, there is an urgent need to investigate novel targeted treatment strategies. Pancreatic cancer faces significant metabolic challenges, principally hypoxia and nutrient deprivation, due to specific microenvironmental constraints, including an extensive desmoplastic stromal reaction. Pancreatic cancer cells have been shown to rewire their metabolism and energy production networks to support rapid survival and proliferation. Increased glucose uptake and glycolytic pathway activity during this process have been extensively described. However, growing evidence suggests that pancreatic cancer cells are glutamine addicted. As a nitrogen source, glutamine directly (or indirectly via glutamate conversion) contributes to many anabolic processes in pancreatic cancer, including amino acids, nucleobases, and hexosamine biosynthesis. It also plays an important role in redox homeostasis, and when converted to α-ketoglutarate, glutamine serves as an energy and anaplerotic carbon source, replenishing the tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. The present study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of glutamine metabolic reprogramming in pancreatic cancer, focusing on potential therapeutic approaches targeting glutamine metabolism in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Lin Ren
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Tao Mao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Pin Meng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Hong-Yun Wei
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Zi-Bin Tian
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
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14
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Raza SHA, Zhong R, Yu X, Zhao G, Wei X, Lei H. Advances of Predicting Allosteric Mechanisms Through Protein Contact in New Technologies and Their Application. Mol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s12033-023-00951-4. [PMID: 37957479 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00951-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Allostery is an intriguing phenomenon wherein the binding activity of a biological macromolecule is modulated via non-canonical binding site, resulting in synchronized functional changes. The mechanics underlying allostery are relatively complex and this review is focused on common methodologies used to study allostery, such as X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, and HDXMS. Different methodological approaches are used to generate data in different scenarios. For example, X-ray crystallography provides high-resolution structural information, NMR spectroscopy offers dynamic insights into allosteric interactions in solution, and HDXMS provides information on protein dynamics. The residue transition state (RTS) approach has emerged as a critical tool in understanding the energetics and conformational changes associated with allosteric regulation. Allostery has significant implications in drug discovery, gene transcription, disease diagnosis, and enzyme catalysis. Enzymes' catalytic activity can be modulated by allosteric regulation, offering opportunities to develop novel therapeutic alternatives. Understanding allosteric mechanisms associated with infectious organisms like SARS-CoV and bacterial pathogens can aid in the development of new antiviral drugs and antibiotics. Allosteric mechanisms are crucial in the regulation of a variety of signal transduction and cell metabolism pathways, which in turn govern various cellular processes. Despite progress, challenges remain in identifying allosteric sites and characterizing their contribution to a variety of biological processes. Increased understanding of these mechanisms can help develop allosteric systems specifically designed to modulate key biological mechanisms, providing novel opportunities for the development of targeted therapeutics. Therefore, the current review aims to summarize common methodologies that are used to further our understanding of allosteric mechanisms. In conclusion, this review provides insights into the methodologies used for the study of allostery, its applications in in silico modeling, the mechanisms underlying antibody allostery, and the ongoing challenges and prospects in advancing our comprehension of this intriguing phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayed Haidar Abbas Raza
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety/Nation-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Machining and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation of Food and Medicinal Resources in Northern Region, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, 512005, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ruimin Zhong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation of Food and Medicinal Resources in Northern Region, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, 512005, China
| | - Xiaoting Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety/Nation-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Machining and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Gang Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety/Nation-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Machining and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Xiaoqun Wei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety/Nation-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Machining and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Hongtao Lei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety/Nation-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Machining and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
- Licheng Detection and Certification Group Co., Ltd., Zhongshan, 528403, Guangdong, China.
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15
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Rumping L, Pouwels PJW, Wolf NI, Rehmann H, Wamelink MMC, Waisfisz Q, Jans JJM, Prinsen HCMT, van de Kamp JM, van Hasselt PM. A second case of glutaminase hyperactivity: Expanding the phenotype with epilepsy. JIMD Rep 2023; 64:217-222. [PMID: 37151363 PMCID: PMC10159865 DOI: 10.1002/jmd2.12359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutaminase (GLS) hyperactivity was first described in 2019 in a patient with profound developmental delay and infantile cataract. Here, we describe a 4-year-old boy with GLS hyperactivity due to a de novo heterozygous missense variant in GLS, detected by trio whole exome sequencing. This boy also exhibits developmental delay without dysmorphic features, but does not have cataract. Additionally, he suffers from epilepsy with tonic clonic seizures. In line with the findings in the previously described patient with GLS hyperactivity, in vivo 3 T magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of the brain revealed an increased glutamate/glutamine ratio. This increased ratio was also found in urine with UPLC-MS/MS, however, inconsistently. This case indicates that the phenotypic spectrum evoked by GLS hyperactivity may include epilepsy. Clarifying this phenotypic spectrum is of importance for the prognosis and identification of these patients. The combination of phenotyping, genetic testing, and metabolic diagnostics with brain MRS and in urine is essential to identify new patients with GLS hyperactivity and to further extend the phenotypic spectrum of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynne Rumping
- Department of Human GeneticsAmsterdam UMCAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Petra J. W. Pouwels
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine and Amsterdam NeuroscienceAmsterdam UMCAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Nicole I. Wolf
- Department of Child Neurology, Amsterdam Leukodystrophy CenterEmma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMCAmsterdamthe Netherlands
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular and Molecular MechanismsVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Holger Rehmann
- Department of Energy and BiotechnologyFlensburg University of Applied SciencesFlensburgGermany
| | - Mirjam M. C. Wamelink
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Metabolic Unit, Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology MetabolismAmsterdam UMC location Vrije UniversiteitAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Quinten Waisfisz
- Department of Human GeneticsAmsterdam UMCAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Judith J. M. Jans
- Department of Genetics, Section Metabolic DiagnosticsUMC UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
| | | | | | - Peter M. van Hasselt
- Department of Genetics, Section Metabolic DiagnosticsUMC UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
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16
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Chen Y, Tan L, Gao J, Lin C, Wu F, Li Y, Zhang J. Targeting glutaminase 1 (GLS1) by small molecules for anticancer therapeutics. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 252:115306. [PMID: 36996714 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Glutaminase-1 (GLS1) is a critical enzyme involved in several cellular processes, and its overexpression has been linked to the development and progression of cancer. Based on existing research, GLS1 plays a crucial role in the metabolic activities of cancer cells, promoting rapid proliferation, cell survival, and immune evasion. Therefore, targeting GLS1 has been proposed as a promising cancer therapy strategy, with several GLS1 inhibitors currently under development. To date, several GLS1 inhibitors have been identified, which can be broadly classified into two types: active site and allosteric inhibitors. Despite their pre-clinical effectiveness, only a few number of these inhibitors have advanced to initial clinical trials. Hence, the present medical research emphasizes the need for developing small molecule inhibitors of GLS1 possessing significantly high potency and selectivity. In this manuscript, we aim to summarize the regulatory role of GLS1 in physiological and pathophysiological processes. We also provide a comprehensive overview of the development of GLS1 inhibitors, focusing on multiple aspects such as target selectivity, in vitro and in vivo potency and structure-activity relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Chen
- Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Lun Tan
- Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Congcong Lin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Medicine Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Fengbo Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yang Li
- Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Jifa Zhang
- Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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17
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Meanwell NA. The pyridazine heterocycle in molecular recognition and drug discovery. Med Chem Res 2023; 32:1-69. [PMID: 37362319 PMCID: PMC10015555 DOI: 10.1007/s00044-023-03035-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
The pyridazine ring is endowed with unique physicochemical properties, characterized by weak basicity, a high dipole moment that subtends π-π stacking interactions and robust, dual hydrogen-bonding capacity that can be of importance in drug-target interactions. These properties contribute to unique applications in molecular recognition while the inherent polarity, low cytochrome P450 inhibitory effects and potential to reduce interaction of a molecule with the cardiac hERG potassium channel add additional value in drug discovery and development. The recent approvals of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor antagonist relugolix (24) and the allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor deucravacitinib (25) represent the first examples of FDA-approved drugs that incorporate a pyridazine ring. In this review, the properties of the pyridazine ring are summarized in comparison to the other azines and its potential in drug discovery is illustrated through vignettes that explore applications that take advantage of the inherent physicochemical properties as an approach to solving challenges associated with candidate optimization. Graphical Abstract
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18
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Cai X, Shi S, Chen G, Zhong M, Yang Y, Mai Z, Tian Y, Tan J, He L, Cui C, Yu Z, Wang X. Glutamine metabolism targeting liposomes for synergistic chemosensitization and starvation therapy in ovarian cancer. Acta Biomater 2023; 158:560-570. [PMID: 36596434 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.12.052] [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: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Platinum-based chemotherapy is a first-line therapeutic regimen against ovarian cancer (OC); however, the therapeutic potential is always reduced by glutamine metabolism. Herein, a valid strategy of inhibiting glutamine metabolism was proposed to cause tumor starvation and chemosensitization. Specifically, reactive oxygen species-responsive liposomes were developed to co-deliver cisplatin (CDDP) and bis-2-(5-phenylacetamido-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl) ethyl sulfide (BPTES) [C@B LPs]. The C@B LPs induced effective tumor cell starvation and significantly sensitized OC cells to CDDP by reducing glutathione generation to prevent CDDP detoxification, suppressing ATP production to avoid CDDP efflux, hindering nucleotide synthesis to aggravate DNA damage induced by CDDP, and blocking mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling to promote cell apoptosis. More importantly, C@B LPs remarkably inhibited tumor growth in vivo and reduced the side effects. Taken together, this study provided a successful strategy of synergistic chemosensitization and starvation therapy escalating the rate of therapeutic success in OCs. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: This work proposed a valid strategy of inhibiting glutamine metabolism to cause tumor starvation and chemosensitization. Specifically, ROS-responsive liposomes were developed to co-deliver cisplatin CDDP and BPTES [C@B LPs]. The C@B LPs induced effective tumor cell starvation and significantly sensitized OC cells to cisplatin by reducing glutathione generation to prevent cisplatin detoxification, suppressing ATP production to avoid cisplatin efflux, hindering nucleotide synthesis to aggravate DNA damage induced by cisplatin, and blocking mTOR signaling to promote cell apoptosis. More importantly, C@B LPs remarkably inhibited tumor growth in vivo and reduced the side effects. Taken together, this study provided a successful strategy of synergistic chemosensitization and starvation therapy escalating the rate of therapeutic success in OCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuzi Cai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women and Children' s Medical Center, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Si Shi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Gui Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Min Zhong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yuanyuan Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, Dongguan 523018, China
| | - Ziyi Mai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yang Tian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jinxiu Tan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Lijuan He
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Chunhui Cui
- Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, Dongguan 523018, China.
| | - Xuefeng Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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Costa RK, Brancaglion GA, Pinheiro MP, Meira DA, da Silva BN, de V. Negrao CZ, de A. Gonçalves K, Rodrigues CT, Ambrósio AL, Guido RV, Pastre JC, Dias SM. Discovery of aminothiazole derivatives as a chemical scaffold for glutaminase inhibition. RESULTS IN CHEMISTRY 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rechem.2023.100842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
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20
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Valvo V, Parietti E, Deans K, Ahn SW, Park NR, Ferland B, Thompson D, Dominas C, Bhagavatula SK, Davidson S, Jonas O. High-throughput in situ perturbation of metabolite levels in the tumor micro-environment reveals favorable metabolic condition for increased fitness of infiltrated T-cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1032360. [PMID: 36619865 PMCID: PMC9815512 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1032360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating immune cells experience significant metabolic reprogramming in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and they share similar metabolic pathways and nutrient needs with malignant cells. This positions these cell types in direct nutrient competition in the TME. We currently lack a complete understanding of the similarities, differences, and functional consequences of the metabolic pathways utilized by activated immune cells from different lineages versus neoplastic cells. This study applies a novel in situ approach using implantable microdevices to expose the tumor to 27 controlled and localized metabolic perturbations in order to perform a systematic investigation into the metabolic regulation of the cellular fitness and persistence between immune and tumor cells directly within the native TME. Our findings identify the most potent metabolites, notably glutamine and arginine, that induce a favorable metabolic immune response in a mammary carcinoma model, and reveal novel insights on less characterized pathways, such as cysteine and glutathione. We then examine clinical samples from cancer patients to confirm the elevation of these pathways in tumor regions that are enriched in activated T cells. Overall, this work provides the first instance of a highly multiplexed in situ competition assay between malignant and immune cells within tumors using a range of localized microdose metabolic perturbations. The approach and findings may be used to potentiate the effects of T cell stimulating immunotherapies on a tumor-specific or personalized basis through targeted enrichment or depletion of specific metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Valvo
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elena Parietti
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital of Epidemiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kyle Deans
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sebastian W. Ahn
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Noel Ruth Park
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Benjamin Ferland
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Devon Thompson
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Sharath K. Bhagavatula
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Shawn Davidson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Oliver Jonas
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Oliver Jonas,
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21
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Kao TW, Chuang YC, Lee HL, Kuo CC, Shen YA. Therapeutic Targeting of Glutaminolysis as a Novel Strategy to Combat Cancer Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315296. [PMID: 36499623 PMCID: PMC9737183 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rare subpopulations of cancer stem cells (CSCs) have the ability to self-renew and are the primary driving force behind cancer metastatic dissemination and the preeminent hurdle to cancer treatment. As opposed to differentiated, non-malignant tumor offspring, CSCs have sophisticated metabolic patterns that, depending on the kind of cancer, rely mostly on the oxidation of major fuel substrates such as glucose, glutamine, and fatty acids for survival. Glutaminolysis is a series of metabolic reactions that convert glutamine to glutamate and, eventually, α-ketoglutarate, an intermediate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle that provides biosynthetic building blocks. These building blocks are mostly utilized in the synthesis of macromolecules and antioxidants for redox homeostasis. A recent study revealed the cellular and molecular interconnections between glutamine and cancer stemness in the cell. Researchers have increasingly focused on glutamine catabolism in their attempt to discover an effective therapy for cancer stem cells. Targeting catalytic enzymes in glutaminolysis, such as glutaminase (GLS), is achievable with small molecule inhibitors, some of which are in early-phase clinical trials and have promising safety profiles. This review summarizes the current findings in glutaminolysis of CSCs and focuses on novel cancer therapies that target glutaminolysis in CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Wan Kao
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Chen Chuang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Lun Lee
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Taipei Cancer Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Chun Kuo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- School of Health Care Administration, College of Management, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Yao-An Shen
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- International Master/Ph.D. Program in Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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22
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Yang T, Tian Y, Yang Y, Tang M, Shi M, Chen Y, Yang Z, Chen L. Design, synthesis, and pharmacological evaluation of 2-(1-(1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)piperidin-4-yl)ethan-1-ol analogs as novel glutaminase 1 inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114686. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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23
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Tang K, Wang S, Gao W, Song Y, Yu B. Harnessing the cyclization strategy for new drug discovery. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:4309-4326. [PMID: 36562004 PMCID: PMC9764076 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The design of new ligands with high affinity and specificity against the targets of interest has been a central focus in drug discovery. As one of the most commonly used methods in drug discovery, the cyclization represents a feasible strategy to identify new lead compounds by increasing structural novelty, scaffold diversity and complexity. Such strategy could also be potentially used for the follow-on drug discovery without patent infringement. In recent years, the cyclization strategy has witnessed great success in the discovery of new lead compounds against different targets for treating various diseases. Herein, we first briefly summarize the use of the cyclization strategy in the discovery of new small-molecule lead compounds, including the proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) molecules. Particularly, we focus on four main strategies including fused ring cyclization, chain cyclization, spirocyclization and macrocyclization and highlight the use of the cyclization strategy in lead generation. Finally, the challenges including the synthetic intractability, relatively poor pharmacokinetics (PK) profiles and the absence of the structural information for rational structure-based cyclization are also briefly discussed. We hope this review, not exhaustive, could provide a timely overview on the cyclization strategy for the discovery of new lead compounds.
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24
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Rais R, Lemberg KM, Tenora L, Arwood ML, Pal A, Alt J, Wu Y, Lam J, Aguilar JMH, Zhao L, Peters DE, Tallon C, Pandey R, Thomas AG, Dash RP, Seiwert T, Majer P, Leone RD, Powell JD, Slusher BS. Discovery of DRP-104, a tumor-targeted metabolic inhibitor prodrug. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq5925. [PMID: 36383674 PMCID: PMC9668306 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq5925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
6-Diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON) is a glutamine antagonist that suppresses cancer cell metabolism but concurrently enhances the metabolic fitness of tumor CD8+ T cells. DON showed promising efficacy in clinical trials; however, its development was halted by dose-limiting gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities. Given its clinical potential, we designed DON peptide prodrugs and found DRP-104 [isopropyl(S)-2-((S)-2-acetamido-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-propanamido)-6-diazo-5-oxo-hexanoate] that was preferentially bioactivated to DON in tumor while bioinactivated to an inert metabolite in GI tissues. In drug distribution studies, DRP-104 delivered a prodigious 11-fold greater exposure of DON to tumor versus GI tissues. DRP-104 affected multiple metabolic pathways in tumor, including decreased glutamine flux into the TCA cycle. In efficacy studies, both DRP-104 and DON caused complete tumor regression; however, DRP-104 had a markedly improved tolerability profile. DRP-104's effect was CD8+ T cell dependent and resulted in robust immunologic memory. DRP-104 represents a first-in-class prodrug with differential metabolism in target versus toxicity tissue. DRP-104 is now in clinical trials under the FDA Fast Track designation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Rais
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kathryn M. Lemberg
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Lukáš Tenora
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Prague 16000, Czech Republic
| | - Matthew L. Arwood
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Arindom Pal
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jesse Alt
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ying Wu
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jenny Lam
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Liang Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Diane E. Peters
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Carolyn Tallon
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rajeev Pandey
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ajit G. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ranjeet P. Dash
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Tanguy Seiwert
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i., Prague 16000, Czech Republic
| | - Robert D. Leone
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Jonathan D. Powell
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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25
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Ji Lee E, Babu Duggirala K, Lee Y, Ran Yun M, Jang J, Cyriac R, Eun Jung M, Choi G, Hak Chae C, Chul Cho B, Lee K. Novel Allosteric Glutaminase 1 Inhibitors with Macrocyclic Structure Activity Relationship Analysis. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 75:128956. [PMID: 36038117 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Glutamine-addicted cancer metabolism is recently recognized as novel cancer target especially for KRAS and KEAP1 co-occurring mutations. Selective glutaminase1 (GLS1) inhibition was reported using BPTES which has novel mode of allosteric inhibition. However, BPTES is a highly hydrophobic and symmetric molecule with very poor solubility which results in suboptimal pharmacokinetic parameters and hinders its further development. As an ongoing effort to identify more drug-like GLS1 inhibitors via systematic structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of BPTES analogs, we disclose our novel macrocycles for GLS1 inhibition with conclusive SAR analysis on the core, core linker, and wing linker, respectively. Selected molecules resulted in reduction in intracellular glutamate levels in LR (LDK378-resistant) cells which is consistent to cell viability result. Finally, compounds 13 selectively reduced the growth of A549 and H460 cells which have co-occurring mutations including KRAS and KEAP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Ji Lee
- Department of Research Support, Yonsei Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Krishna Babu Duggirala
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea; Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon 34113, South Korea
| | - Yujin Lee
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea; Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon 34113, South Korea
| | - Mi Ran Yun
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea; Yonsei New Ii Han Institute for Integrative Lung Cancer Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Jiyoon Jang
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea; Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Rajath Cyriac
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea; Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon 34113, South Korea
| | - Myoung Eun Jung
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea
| | - Gildon Choi
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea; Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon 34113, South Korea
| | - Chong Hak Chae
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea
| | - Byoung Chul Cho
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, South Korea
| | - Kwangho Lee
- Bio & Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea; Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon 34113, South Korea.
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26
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Structure-based virtual screening discovers novel kidney-type glutaminase inhibitors. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 154:113585. [PMID: 36029536 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutaminase (GLS) serves a critical bioenergetic role for malignant tumor growth and has become a valuable therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Herein, we performed a structure-based virtual screening to discover novel GLS inhibitors and provide information for developing new GLS inhibitors. We identified critical pharmacological interactions in the GLS1 binding site by analyzing the known GLS1 inhibitors and selected potential inhibitors based on their docking score and pharmacological interactions. The inhibitory effects of compounds were further confirmed by enzymatic and cell viability assays. We treated colorectal cancer and triple-negative breast cancer cells with the selected candidates and measured the inhibitory efficacy of hit compounds on cell viability. In total, we identified three GLS1 inhibitors. The compounds identified from our structure-based virtual screening methodology exhibited great anticancer potential as a lead targeting glutamine metabolism.
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27
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Sainero-Alcolado L, Liaño-Pons J, Ruiz-Pérez MV, Arsenian-Henriksson M. Targeting mitochondrial metabolism for precision medicine in cancer. Cell Death Differ 2022; 29:1304-1317. [PMID: 35831624 PMCID: PMC9287557 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-022-01022-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During decades, the research field of cancer metabolism was based on the Warburg effect, described almost one century ago. Lately, the key role of mitochondria in cancer development has been demonstrated. Many mitochondrial pathways including oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid, glutamine, and one carbon metabolism are altered in tumors, due to mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, as well as in metabolic enzymes. This results in metabolic reprogramming that sustains rapid cell proliferation and can lead to an increase in reactive oxygen species used by cancer cells to maintain pro-tumorigenic signaling pathways while avoiding cellular death. The knowledge acquired on the importance of mitochondrial cancer metabolism is now being translated into clinical practice. Detailed genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analysis of tumors are necessary to develop more precise treatments. The successful use of drugs targeting metabolic mitochondrial enzymes has highlighted the potential for their use in precision medicine and many therapeutic candidates are in clinical trials. However, development of efficient personalized drugs has proved challenging and the combination with other strategies such as chemocytotoxic drugs, immunotherapy, and ketogenic or calorie restriction diets is likely necessary to boost their potential. In this review, we summarize the main mitochondrial features, metabolic pathways, and their alterations in different cancer types. We also present an overview of current inhibitors, highlight enzymes that are attractive targets, and discuss challenges with translation of these approaches into clinical practice. The role of mitochondria in cancer is indisputable and presents several attractive targets for both tailored and personalized cancer therapy. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Sainero-Alcolado
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum B7, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Judit Liaño-Pons
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum B7, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - María Victoria Ruiz-Pérez
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum B7, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marie Arsenian-Henriksson
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Biomedicum B7, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 65, Stockholm, Sweden.
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28
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Yousaf R, Navid A, Azam SS. Discovery of novel Glutaminase allosteric inhibitors through drug repurposing and comparative MMGB/PBSA and molecular dynamics simulation. Comput Biol Med 2022; 146:105669. [PMID: 35654625 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
GLS1 enzymes (Glutaminase C (GAC) and kidney-type Glutaminase (KGA)) are gaining prominence as a target for tumor treatment including lung, breast, kidney, prostate, and colorectal. To date, several medicinal chemistry studies are being conducted to develop new and effective inhibitors against GLS1 enzymes. Telaglenastat, a drug that targets the allosteric site of GLS1, has undergone clinical trials for the first time for the therapy of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. A comprehensive computational investigation is performed to get insights into the inhibition mechanism of the Telaglenastat. Some novel inhibitors are also proposed against GLS1 enzymes using the drug repurposing approach using 2D-fingerprinting virtual screening method against 2.4 million compounds, application of pharmacokinetics, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamic (MD) Simulations. A TIP3P water box of 10 Å was defined to solvate both enzymes to improve MD simulation reliability. The dynamics results were validated further by the MMGB/PBSA binding free energy method, RDF, and AFD analysis. Results of these computational analysis revealed a stable binding affinity of Telaglenastat, as well as an FDA approved drug Astemizole (IC50 ∼ 0.9 nM) and a novel para position oriented methoxy group containing Chembridge compound (Chem-64284604) that provides an effective inhibitory action against GAC and KGA.
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29
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Fujimoto M, Higashiyama R, Yasui H, Yamashita K, Inanami O. Preclinical studies for improving radiosensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer cell lines by combining glutaminase inhibition and senolysis. Transl Oncol 2022; 21:101431. [PMID: 35452996 PMCID: PMC9043980 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2022.101431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal glutaminolysis is common in cancer cells with mutations. The glutaminase inhibitor CB839 enhanced radiosensitivity in A549 and H460 cells. Glutaminolysis inhibition led to an increase in cell senescence. The Bcl-2 family inhibitor ABT-263 induced transition from senescence to apoptosis. Combined glutaminolysis and senolysis may improve radiosensitivity in cancer cells.
Glutamine metabolism, known as glutaminolysis, is abnormally activated in many cancer cells with KRAS or BRAF mutations or active c-MYC. Glutaminolysis plays an important role in the proliferation of cancer cells with oncogenic mutations. In this study, we characterized radiation-induced cell death, which was enhanced by glutaminolysis inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer A549 and H460 cell lines with KRAS mutation. A clonogenic survival assay revealed that treatment with a glutaminase inhibitor, CB839, enhanced radiosensitivity. X-irradiation increased glutamate production, mitochondrial oxygen consumption, and ATP production, whereas CB839 treatment suppressed these effects. The data suggest that the enhancement of glutaminolysis-dependent energy metabolism for ATP production is important for survival after X-irradiation. Evaluation of the cell death phenotype revealed that glutaminolysis inhibitory treatment with CB839 or a low-glutamine medium significantly promoted the proliferation of β-galactosidase-positive and IL-6/IL-8 secretory cells among X-irradiated tumor cells, corresponding to an increase in the senescent cell population. Furthermore, treatment with ABT263, a Bcl-2 family inhibitor, transformed senescent cells into apoptotic cells. The findings suggest that combination treatment with a glutaminolysis inhibitor and a senolytic drug is useful for efficient radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Fujimoto
- Laboratory of Radiation Biology, Department of Applied Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
| | - Ritsuko Higashiyama
- Laboratory of Radiation Biology, Department of Applied Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
| | - Hironobu Yasui
- Laboratory of Radiation Biology, Department of Applied Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
| | - Koya Yamashita
- Laboratory of Radiation Biology, Department of Applied Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
| | - Osamu Inanami
- Laboratory of Radiation Biology, Department of Applied Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
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30
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Sharma S, Agnihotri N, Kumar S. Targeting fuel pocket of cancer cell metabolism: A focus on glutaminolysis. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 198:114943. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.114943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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31
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Zhao JS, Shi S, Qu HY, Keckesova Z, Cao ZJ, Yang LX, Yu X, Feng L, Shi Z, Krakowiak J, Mao RY, Shen YT, Fan YM, Fu TM, Ye C, Xu D, Gao X, You J, Li W, Liang T, Lu Z, Feng YX. Glutamine synthetase licenses APC/C-mediated mitotic progression to drive cell growth. Nat Metab 2022; 4:239-253. [PMID: 35145325 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-021-00524-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Tumors can reprogram the functions of metabolic enzymes to fuel malignant growth; however, beyond their conventional functions, key metabolic enzymes have not been found to directly govern cell mitosis. Here, we report that glutamine synthetase (GS) promotes cell proliferation by licensing mitotic progression independently of its metabolic function. GS depletion, but not impairment of its enzymatic activity, results in mitotic arrest and multinucleation across multiple lung and liver cancer cell lines, patient-derived organoids and xenografted tumors. Mechanistically, GS directly interacts with the nuclear pore protein NUP88 to prevent its binding to CDC20. Such interaction licenses activation of the CDC20-mediated anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome to ensure proper metaphase-to-anaphase transition. In addition, GS is overexpressed in human non-small cell lung cancer and its depletion reduces tumor growth in mice and increases the efficacy of microtubule-targeted chemotherapy. Our findings highlight a moonlighting function of GS in governing mitosis and illustrate how an essential metabolic enzyme promotes cell proliferation and tumor development, beyond its main metabolic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Sha Zhao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Shuo Shi
- Shanghai Advanced Institute of Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hai-Yan Qu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zuzana Keckesova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zi-Jian Cao
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-Xian Yang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofu Yu
- Department of Thoracic Radiotherapy, Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Limin Feng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhong Shi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Joanna Krakowiak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ruo-Ying Mao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Tong Shen
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Meng Fan
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tian-Min Fu
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Ohio, OH, USA
| | - Cunqi Ye
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Daqian Xu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofei Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia You
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenbo Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Tingbo Liang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Zhimin Lu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Yu-Xiong Feng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, First Affiliated Hospital, and Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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32
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High-resolution structures of mitochondrial glutaminase C tetramers indicate conformational changes upon phosphate binding. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101564. [PMID: 34999118 PMCID: PMC8800119 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial enzyme glutaminase C (GAC) is upregulated in many cancer cells to catalyze the first step in glutamine metabolism, the hydrolysis of glutamine to glutamate. The dependence of cancer cells on this transformed metabolic pathway highlights GAC as a potentially important therapeutic target. GAC acquires maximal catalytic activity upon binding to anionic activators such as inorganic phosphate. To delineate the mechanism of GAC activation, we used the tryptophan substitution of tyrosine 466 in the catalytic site of the enzyme as a fluorescent reporter for glutamine binding in the presence and absence of phosphate. We show that in the absence of phosphate, glutamine binding to the Y466W GAC tetramer exhibits positive cooperativity. A high-resolution X-ray structure of tetrameric Y466W GAC bound to glutamine suggests that cooperativity in substrate binding is coupled to tyrosine 249, located at the edge of the catalytic site (i.e., the “lid”), adopting two distinct conformations. In one dimer within the GAC tetramer, the lids are open and glutamine binds weakly, whereas, in the adjoining dimer, the lids are closed over the substrates, resulting in higher affinity interactions. When crystallized in the presence of glutamine and phosphate, all four subunits of the Y466W GAC tetramer exhibited bound glutamine with closed lids. Glutamine can bind with high affinity to each subunit, which subsequently undergo simultaneous catalysis. These findings explain how the regulated transitioning of GAC between different conformational states ensures that maximal catalytic activity is reached in cancer cells only when an allosteric activator is available.
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33
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Lešnik S, Bren U. Mechanistic Insights into Biological Activities of Polyphenolic Compounds from Rosemary Obtained by Inverse Molecular Docking. Foods 2021; 11:67. [PMID: 35010191 PMCID: PMC8750736 DOI: 10.3390/foods11010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) represents a medicinal plant known for its various health-promoting properties. Its extracts and essential oils exhibit antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and antimicrobial activities. The main compounds responsible for these effects are the diterpenes carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmanol, as well as the phenolic acid ester rosmarinic acid. However, surprisingly little is known about the molecular mechanisms responsible for the pharmacological activities of rosemary and its compounds. To discern these mechanisms, we performed a large-scale inverse molecular docking study to identify their potential protein targets. Listed compounds were separately docked into predicted binding sites of all non-redundant holo proteins from the Protein Data Bank and those with the top scores were further examined. We focused on proteins directly related to human health, including human and mammalian proteins as well as proteins from pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The observed interactions of rosemary compounds indeed confirm the beforementioned activities, whereas we also identified their potential for anticoagulant and antiparasitic actions. The obtained results were carefully checked against the existing experimental findings from the scientific literature as well as further validated using both redocking procedures and retrospective metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samo Lešnik
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Chemical Thermodynamics, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
| | - Urban Bren
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Chemical Thermodynamics, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia;
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Glagoljaška 8, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia
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34
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Zhang D, Zhao L, Luo M, Lei J, Shao S. Yap-Myc signaling induces pancreatic stellate cell activation through regulating glutaminolysis. Exp Cell Res 2021; 411:113000. [PMID: 34958764 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.113000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The accumulation of activated myofibroblastic pancreatic stellate cells (MF-PSCs) induces pancreatic cancer desmoplasia. These MF-PSCs are derived from quiescent pancreatic stellate cells (Q-PSCs). MF-PSCs in pancreatic cancer tend to glycolysis. However, increased glycolysis alone could not be sufficient for the increased metabolic demands of MF-PSCs. Yap and Myc signaling activation is involved in pancreatic cancer metabolism. Since elucidating the metabolic processes of MF-PSCs may be a promising strategy to suppress pancreatic cancer desmoplasia, we explored whether glutaminolysis meets the bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of Q-PSCs converted into MF-PSCs and whether this is mediated by Yap signaling to Myc. In this study, we found that during the transdifferentiation of Q-PSCs into MF-PSCs, glutaminolysis regulatory genes were upregulated, and suppression of glutaminolysis inhibited transdifferentiation. Disrupting glutaminolysis in MF-PSCs inhibited cell growth, mitochondrial respiration, and fibrogenesis, while treatment of MF-PSCs with DKG (a glutaminolysis metabolite) reversed these activities. The expression of glutaminase (GLS1), a rate-limiting enzyme in glutaminolysis, was upregulated by Yap overexpression. Yap upregulates Myc to regulate the expression of GLS1 in MF-PSCs. Yap and Myc inhibitors disrupted glutaminolysis and inhibited myofibroblastic activities in PSCs. Thus, Yap-Myc signaling controls glutaminolysis to activate PSCs and might be a therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer desmoplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Minna Luo
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Jianjun Lei
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China.
| | - Shan Shao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China.
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35
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Milano SK, Huang Q, Nguyen TTT, Ramachandran S, Finke A, Kriksunov I, Schuller D, Szebenyi M, Arenholz E, McDermott LA, Sukumar N, Cerione RA, Katt WP. New insights into the molecular mechanisms of glutaminase C inhibitors in cancer cells using serial room temperature crystallography. J Biol Chem 2021; 298:101535. [PMID: 34954143 PMCID: PMC8784640 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101535] [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: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells frequently exhibit uncoupling of the glycolytic pathway from the TCA cycle (i.e. the "Warburg effect"), and as a result, often become dependent on their ability to increase glutamine catabolism. The mitochondrial enzyme Glutaminase C (GAC) helps to satisfy this 'glutamine addiction' of cancer cells by catalyzing the hydrolysis of glutamine to glutamate, which is then converted to the TCA-cycle intermediate α-ketoglutarate. This makes GAC an intriguing drug target, and spurred the molecules derived from bis-2-(5-phenylacetamido-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)ethyl sulfide (the so-called BPTES-class of allosteric GAC inhibitors), including CB-839, which is currently in clinal trials. However, none of the drugs targeting GAC are yet approved for cancer treatment and their mechanism of action is not well understood. Here, we shed new light on the underlying basis for the differential potencies exhibited by members of the BPTES/CB-839 family of compounds, which could not previously be explained with standard cryo-cooled X-ray crystal structures of GAC bound to CB-839 or its analogs. Using an emerging technique known as serial room temperature crystallography, we were able to observe clear differences between the binding conformations of inhibitors with significantly different potencies. We also developed a computational model to further elucidate the molecular basis of differential inhibitor potency. We then corroborated the results from our modeling efforts using recently established fluorescence assays that directly read out inhibitor binding to GAC. Together, these findings should aid in future design of more potent GAC inhibitors with better clinical outlook.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn K Milano
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Qingqiu Huang
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Thuy-Tien T Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Sekar Ramachandran
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Aaron Finke
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Irina Kriksunov
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - David Schuller
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Marian Szebenyi
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Elke Arenholz
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Lee A McDermott
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States; Drug Discovery Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - N Sukumar
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Informatics, Shiv Nadar University, India
| | - Richard A Cerione
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States; Department of Molecular Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
| | - William P Katt
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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Stine ZE, Schug ZT, Salvino JM, Dang CV. Targeting cancer metabolism in the era of precision oncology. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2021; 21:141-162. [PMID: 34862480 PMCID: PMC8641543 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-021-00339-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 432] [Impact Index Per Article: 144.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
One hundred years have passed since Warburg discovered alterations in cancer metabolism, more than 70 years since Sidney Farber introduced anti-folates that transformed the treatment of childhood leukaemia, and 20 years since metabolism was linked to oncogenes. However, progress in targeting cancer metabolism therapeutically in the past decade has been limited. Only a few metabolism-based drugs for cancer have been successfully developed, some of which are in - or en route to - clinical trials. Strategies for targeting the intrinsic metabolism of cancer cells often did not account for the metabolism of non-cancer stromal and immune cells, which have pivotal roles in tumour progression and maintenance. By considering immune cell metabolism and the clinical manifestations of inborn errors of metabolism, it may be possible to isolate undesirable off-tumour, on-target effects of metabolic drugs during their development. Hence, the conceptual framework for drug design must consider the metabolic vulnerabilities of non-cancer cells in the tumour immune microenvironment, as well as those of cancer cells. In this Review, we cover the recent developments, notable milestones and setbacks in targeting cancer metabolism, and discuss the way forward for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chi V Dang
- The Wistar Institute Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research New York, New York, NY, USA.
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Cederkvist H, Kolan SS, Wik JA, Sener Z, Skålhegg BS. Identification and characterization of a novel glutaminase inhibitor. FEBS Open Bio 2021; 12:163-174. [PMID: 34698439 PMCID: PMC8727943 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, there are two forms of glutaminase (GLS), designated GLS1 and GLS2. These enzymes catalyse the conversion of glutamine to glutamate. GLS1 exists as two isozymes: kidney glutaminase (KGA) and glutaminase C (GAC). Several GLS inhibitors have been identified, of which DON (6‐diazo‐5‐oxonorleucine), BPTES (bis‐2‐(5‐phenylacetamido‐1, 3, 4‐thiadiazol‐2‐yl) ethyl sulphide), 968 (5‐(3‐Bromo‐4‐(dimethylamino)phenyl)‐2,2‐dimethyl‐2,3,5,6‐tetrahydrobenzo[a]phenanthridin‐4(1H)‐one) and CB839 (Telaglenastat) are the most widely used. However, these inhibitors have variable efficacy, specificity and bioavailability in research and clinical settings, implying the need for novel and improved GLS inhibitors. Based on this need, a diverse library of 28,000 compounds from Enamine was screened for inhibition of recombinant, purified GAC. From this library, one inhibitor designated compound 19 (C19) was identified with kinetic features revealing allosteric inhibition of GAC in the µm range. Moreover, C19 inhibits anti‐CD3/CD28‐induced CD4+ T‐cell proliferation and cytokine production with similar or greater potency as compared to BPTES. Taken together, our data suggest that C19 has the potential to modulate GLS1 activity and alter metabolic activity of T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henning Cederkvist
- Division of Molecular Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Shrikant S Kolan
- Division of Molecular Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Jonas Aakre Wik
- Division of Molecular Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway.,Department of Pathology, Oslo University Hospital-Rikshospitalet, Norway
| | - Zeynep Sener
- Division of Molecular Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørn Steen Skålhegg
- Division of Molecular Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway
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Hultmark S, Baudet A, Schmiderer L, Prabhala P, Palma-Tortosa S, Sandén C, Fioretos T, Sasidharan R, Larsson C, Lehmann S, Juliusson G, Ek F, Magnusson M. Combinatorial molecule screening identified a novel diterpene and the BET inhibitor CPI-203 as differentiation inducers of primary acute myeloid leukemia cells. Haematologica 2021; 106:2566-2577. [PMID: 32855276 PMCID: PMC8485661 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2020.249177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Combination treatment has proven effective for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia, exemplifying the importance of therapy targeting multiple components of oncogenic regulation for a successful outcome. However, recent studies have shown that the mutational complexity of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) precludes the translation of molecular targeting into clinical success. Here, as a complement to genetic profiling, we used unbiased, combinatorial in vitro drug screening to identify pathways that drive AML and to develop personalized combinatorial treatments. First, we screened 513 natural compounds on primary AML cells and identified a novel diterpene (H4) that preferentially induced differentiation of FLT3 wild-type AML, while FLT3-ITD/mutations conferred resistance. The samples responding to H4, displayed increased expression of myeloid markers, a clear decrease in the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and the potential of re-activation of the monocytic transcriptional program reducing leukemia propagation in vivo. By combinatorial screening using H4 and molecules with defined targets, we demonstrated that H4 induces differentiation by the activation of the protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway, and in line with this, activates PKC phosphorylation and translocation of PKC to the cell membrane. Furthermore, the combinatorial screening identified a bromo- and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitor that could further improve H4-dependent leukemic differentiation in FLT3 wild-type monocytic AML. These findings illustrate the value of an unbiased, multiplex screening platform for developing combinatorial therapeutic approaches for AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Hultmark
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Aurélie Baudet
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Ludwig Schmiderer
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Pavan Prabhala
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sara Palma-Tortosa
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Restorative Neurology, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Carl Sandén
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Thoas Fioretos
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Christer Larsson
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sören Lehmann
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Juliusson
- Department of Hematology, Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Ek
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mattias Magnusson
- Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Sweden
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Delgir S, Ilkhani K, Safi A, Rahmati Y, Montazari V, Zaynali-Khasraghi Z, Seif F, Bastami M, Alivand MR. The expression of miR-513c and miR-3163 was downregulated in tumor tissues compared with normal adjacent tissue of patients with breast cancer. BMC Med Genomics 2021; 14:180. [PMID: 34233668 PMCID: PMC8265124 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-021-01029-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BC) is the most invasive cancer with different subtypes that its metabolism is unique compared with normal cells. Glutamine is considered critical nutrition that many cancer cells, particularly BC cells, are dependent on it for growth and proliferation. Therefore, targeting glutamine metabolism, especially enzymes that are related to this pathway, can be beneficial to design anti-cancer agents. Recent evidence has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs), with a short length and single-strand properties, play a prominent role in regulating the genes related to glutamine metabolism, which may control the development of cancer. METHODS In silico analysis confirmed that miR-513c and miR-3163 might be involved in glutamine metabolism. The expression level of these two miRNAs was evaluated in eighty BC tissues and normal adjacent tissues. Furthermore, GSE38167, GSE38867, GSE42128, GSE45666, and GSE53179 were employed from gene expression omnibus (GEO). The Limma package was utilized to identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) of mentioned datasets to evaluate miR-513c and miR-3163 expression. Further, in silico analysis was utilized to predict the potential biological processes and molecular pathways of miR-513c and miR-3163, based on their target genes. RESULTS In silico studies revealed top categories of biological processes and cellular pathways that might play a critical role in metabolism reprogramming and cancer development and were target genes for miR-513c and miR-3163. The current study showed that miR-513c (p value = 0.02062 and FC = - 2.3801) and miR-3163 (p value = 0.02034 and FC = - 2.3792) were downregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal adjacent tissues. The analysis of GEO microarray datasets showed that miR-513c was downregulated in GSE38167, GSE38867, GSE42128, GSE45666 and GSE53179, whereas there was a significant downregulation of miR-3163 in only two studies, including GSE38867 and GSE42128 that they were in accordance with our experimental results. Furthermore, the subgroup analysis did not show any substantial relationship between expression levels of these two miRNAs and factors such as age, family history of cancer, and abortion history. CONCLUSION MiR-513c and miR-3163 were downregulated in BC tissues, which might serve as tumor suppressors. They are suggested as potential therapeutic targets for patients with BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soheila Delgir
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Khandan Ilkhani
- Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Asma Safi
- Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Yazdan Rahmati
- Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Vahid Montazari
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences/and also Surgery Ward, Nour-Nejat Hospital, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Zahra Zaynali-Khasraghi
- Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Farhad Seif
- Department of Immunology and Allergy, Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research, Tehran, Iran
| | - Milad Bastami
- Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Alivand
- Molecular Genetics, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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40
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Establishment of live-cell-based coupled assay system for identification of compounds to modulate metabolic activities of cells. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109311. [PMID: 34233188 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we present a live-cell-based fluorometric coupled assay system to identify the compounds that can regulate the targeted metabolic pathways in live cells. The assay is established through targeting specific metabolic pathways and using "input" and "output" metabolite pairs. The changes in the extracellular output that are generated and released into the extracellular media from the input are assessed as the activity of the pathway. The screening for the glycolytic pathway and amino acid metabolism reveals the activities of the present drugs, 6-BIO and regorafenib, that regulate the metabolic fate of tumor cells.
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41
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Huang Q, Song P, Chen Y, Liu Z, Lai L. Allosteric Type and Pathways Are Governed by the Forces of Protein-Ligand Binding. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:5404-5412. [PMID: 34080881 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c01253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Allostery is central to many cellular processes, by up- or down-regulating target function. However, what determines the allosteric type remains elusive and currently it is impossible to predict whether the allosteric compounds would activate or inhibit target function before experimental studies. We demonstrated that the allosteric type and allosteric pathways are governed by the forces imposed by ligand binding to target protein using the anisotropic network model and developed an allosteric type prediction method (AlloType). AlloType correctly predicted 13 of the 16 allosteric systems in the data set with experimentally determined protein and complex structures as well as verified allosteric types, which was also used to identify allosteric pathways. When applied to glutathione peroxidase 4, a protein with no complex structure information, AlloType could still be able to predict the allosteric type of the recently reported allosteric activators, demonstrating its potential application in designing specific allosteric drugs and uncovering allosteric mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaojing Huang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Pengbo Song
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yixin Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhirong Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Luhua Lai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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42
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Schiliro C, Firestein BL. Mechanisms of Metabolic Reprogramming in Cancer Cells Supporting Enhanced Growth and Proliferation. Cells 2021; 10:cells10051056. [PMID: 33946927 PMCID: PMC8146072 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells alter metabolic processes to sustain their characteristic uncontrolled growth and proliferation. These metabolic alterations include (1) a shift from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis to support the increased need for ATP, (2) increased glutaminolysis for NADPH regeneration, (3) altered flux through the pentose phosphate pathway and the tricarboxylic acid cycle for macromolecule generation, (4) increased lipid uptake, lipogenesis, and cholesterol synthesis, (5) upregulation of one-carbon metabolism for the production of ATP, NADH/NADPH, nucleotides, and glutathione, (6) altered amino acid metabolism, (7) metabolism-based regulation of apoptosis, and (8) the utilization of alternative substrates, such as lactate and acetate. Altered metabolic flux in cancer is controlled by tumor-host cell interactions, key oncogenes, tumor suppressors, and other regulatory molecules, including non-coding RNAs. Changes to metabolic pathways in cancer are dynamic, exhibit plasticity, and are often dependent on the type of tumor and the tumor microenvironment, leading in a shift of thought from the Warburg Effect and the “reverse Warburg Effect” to metabolic plasticity. Understanding the complex nature of altered flux through these multiple pathways in cancer cells can support the development of new therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea Schiliro
- Cell and Developmental Biology Graduate Program and Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;
| | - Bonnie L. Firestein
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-848-445-8045
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43
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Xu X, Wang J, Wang M, Yuan X, Li L, Zhang C, Huang H, Jing T, Wang C, Tong C, Zhou L, Meng Y, Xu P, Kou J, Qiu Z, Li Z, Bian J. Structure-Enabled Discovery of Novel Macrocyclic Inhibitors Targeting Glutaminase 1 Allosteric Binding Site. J Med Chem 2021; 64:4588-4611. [PMID: 33792311 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The inhibition of glutaminase 1 (GLS1) represents a potential treatment of malignant tumors. Structural analysis led to the design of a novel series of macrocyclic GLS1 allosteric inhibitors. Through extensive structure-activity relationship studies, a promising candidate molecule 13b (LL202) was identified with robust GLS1 inhibitory activity (IC50 = 6 nM) and high GLS1 binding affinity (SPR, Kd = 24 nM; ITC, Kd = 37 nM). The X-ray crystal structure of the 13b-GLS1 complex was resolved, revealing a unique binding mode and providing a novel structural scaffold for GLS1 allosteric inhibitors. Importantly, 13b clearly adjusted the cellular metabolites and induced an increase in the ROS level by blocking glutamine metabolism. Furthermore, 13b exhibited a similar in vivo antitumor activity as CB839. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that macrocyclization provides an alternative and complementary approach for the design of small-molecule inhibitors, with the potential to improve the binding affinity to the targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Jubo Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Xinyu Yuan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Chao Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, P. R. China
| | - Huidan Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, P. R. China
| | - Tian Jing
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Chenchen Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Chao Tong
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Liwen Zhou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Ying Meng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Pengfei Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Junping Kou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Products, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of TCM Evaluation and Translational Research, Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Material Medical, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Zhixia Qiu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Zhiyu Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Jinlei Bian
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
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44
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Hossain MI, Thomas AG, Mahdi F, Adam AT, Akins NS, Woodard MM, Paris JJ, Slusher BS, Le HV. An efficient synthetic route to l-γ-methyleneglutamine and its amide derivatives, and their selective anticancer activity. RSC Adv 2021; 11:7115-7128. [PMID: 33777357 PMCID: PMC7968037 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra08249j] [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: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In cancer cells, glutaminolysis is the primary source of biosynthetic precursors, fueling the TCA cycle with glutamine-derived α-ketoglutarate. The enhanced production of α-ketoglutarate is critical to cancer cells as it provides carbons for the TCA cycle to produce glutathione, fatty acids, and nucleotides, and contributes nitrogens to produce hexosamines, nucleotides, and many nonessential amino acids. Efforts to inhibit glutamine metabolism in cancer using amino acid analogs have been extensive. l-γ-Methyleneglutamine was shown to be of considerable biochemical importance, playing a major role in nitrogen transport in Arachis and Amorpha plants. Herein we report for the first time an efficient synthetic route to l-γ-methyleneglutamine and its amide derivatives. Many of these l-γ-methyleneglutamic acid amides were shown to be as efficacious as tamoxifen or olaparib at arresting cell growth among MCF-7 (ER+/PR+/HER2-), and SK-BR-3 (ER-/PR-/HER2+) breast cancer cells at 24 or 72 h of treatment. Several of these compounds exerted similar efficacy to olaparib at arresting cell growth among triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells by 72 h of treatment. None of the compounds inhibited cell growth in benign MCF-10A breast cells. Overall, N-phenyl amides and N-benzyl amides, such as 3, 5, 9, and 10, arrested the growth of all three (MCF-7, SK-BR-3, and MDA-MB-231) cell lines for 72 h and were devoid of cytotoxicity on MCF-10A control cells; N-benzyl amides with an electron withdrawing group at the para position, such as 5 and 6, inhibited the growth of triple-negative MDA-MB-231 cells commensurate to olaparib. These compounds hold promise as novel therapeutics for the treatment of multiple breast cancer subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Imran Hossain
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi 38677, USA.
| | - Ajit G Thomas
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Fakhri Mahdi
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi 38677, USA.
| | - Amna T Adam
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi 38677, USA.
| | - Nicholas S Akins
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi 38677, USA.
| | - Morgan M Woodard
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi 38677, USA.
| | - Jason J Paris
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi 38677, USA.
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Hoang V Le
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi 38677, USA.
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45
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Rajapaksha H, Pandithavidana DR, Dahanayake JN. Demystifying Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu): Computational Interaction Analysis of Pesticides and Metabolites with Vital Renal Enzymes. Biomolecules 2021; 11:261. [PMID: 33578980 PMCID: PMC7916818 DOI: 10.3390/biom11020261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) has been recognized as a global non-communicable health issue. There are many proposed risk factors for CKDu and the exact reason is yet to be discovered. Understanding the inhibition or manipulation of vital renal enzymes by pesticides can play a key role in understanding the link between CKDu and pesticides. Even though it is very important to take metabolites into account when investigating the relationship between CKDu and pesticides, there is a lack of insight regarding the effects of pesticide metabolites towards CKDu. In this study, a computational approach was used to study the effects of pesticide metabolites on CKDu. Further, interactions of selected pesticides and their metabolites with renal enzymes were studied using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies. It was evident that some pesticides and metabolites have affinity to bind at the active site or at regulatory sites of considered renal enzymes. Another important discovery was the potential of some metabolites to have higher binding interactions with considered renal enzymes compared to the parent pesticides. These findings raise the question of whether pesticide metabolites may be a main risk factor towards CKDu.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jayangika N. Dahanayake
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Dalugama, Kelaniya 11600, Western Province, Sri Lanka; (H.R.); (D.R.P.)
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46
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Ding L, Xu X, Li C, Wang Y, Xia X, Zheng JC. Glutaminase in microglia: A novel regulator of neuroinflammation. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 92:139-156. [PMID: 33278560 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is the inflammatory responses that are involved in the pathogenesis of most neurological disorders. Glutaminase (GLS) is the enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of glutamine to produce glutamate. Besides its well-known role in cellular metabolism and excitatory neurotransmission, GLS has recently been increasingly noticed to be up-regulated in activated microglia under pathological conditions. Furthermore, GLS overexpression induces microglial activation, extracellular vesicle secretion, and neuroinflammatory microenvironment formation, which, are compromised by GLS inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. These results indicate that GLS has more complicated implications in brain disease etiology than what are previously known. In this review, we introduce GLS isoforms, expression patterns in the body and the brain, and expression/activities regulation. Next, we discuss the metabolic and neurotransmission functions of GLS. Afterwards, we summarize recent findings of GLS-mediated microglial activation and pro-inflammatory extracellular vesicle secretion, which, in turns, induces neuroinflammation. Lastly, we provide a comprehensive discussion for the involvement of microglial GLS in the pathogenesis of various neurological disorders, indicating microglial GLS as a promising target to treat these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Ding
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Xiaonan Xu
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Congcong Li
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200434, China.
| | - Xiaohuan Xia
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200434, China.
| | - Jialin C Zheng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200434, China; Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930, USA.
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Targeting Cancer Metabolism and Current Anti-Cancer Drugs. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1286:15-48. [PMID: 33725343 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-55035-6_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have exploited the metabolic hallmarks that distinguish between normal and cancer cells, aiming at identifying specific targets of anti-cancer drugs. It has become apparent that metabolic flexibility allows cancer cells to survive during high anabolic demand or the depletion of nutrients and oxygen. Cancers can reprogram their metabolism to the microenvironments by increasing aerobic glycolysis to maximize ATP production, increasing glutaminolysis and anabolic pathways to support bioenergetic and biosynthetic demand during rapid proliferation. The increased key regulatory enzymes that support the relevant pathways allow us to design small molecules which can specifically block activities of these enzymes, preventing growth and metastasis of tumors. In this review, we discuss metabolic adaptation in cancers and highlight the crucial metabolic enzymes involved, specifically those involved in aerobic glycolysis, glutaminolysis, de novo fatty acid synthesis, and bioenergetic pathways. Furthermore, we also review the success and the pitfalls of the current anti-cancer drugs which have been applied in pre-clinical and clinical studies.
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Oliveira GL, Coelho AR, Marques R, Oliveira PJ. Cancer cell metabolism: Rewiring the mitochondrial hub. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1867:166016. [PMID: 33246010 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.166016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
To adapt to tumoral environment conditions or even to escape chemotherapy, cells rapidly reprogram their metabolism to handle adversities and survive. Given the rapid rise of studies uncovering novel insights and therapeutic opportunities based on the role of mitochondria in tumor metabolic programing and therapeutics, this review summarizes most significant developments in the field. Taking in mind the key role of mitochondria on carcinogenesis and tumor progression due to their involvement on tumor plasticity, metabolic remodeling, and signaling re-wiring, those organelles are also potential therapeutic targets. Among other topics, we address the recent data intersecting mitochondria as of prognostic value and staging in cancer, by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) determination, and current inhibitors developments targeting mtDNA, OXPHOS machinery and metabolic pathways. We contribute for a holistic view of the role of mitochondria metabolism and directed therapeutics to understand tumor metabolism, to circumvent therapy resistance, and to control tumor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela L Oliveira
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, UC-Biotech, University of Coimbra, Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal
| | - Ana R Coelho
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, UC-Biotech, University of Coimbra, Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Marques
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, UC-Biotech, University of Coimbra, Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal
| | - Paulo J Oliveira
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, UC-Biotech, University of Coimbra, Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal.
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Matés JM, Campos-Sandoval JA, de Los Santos-Jiménez J, Segura JA, Alonso FJ, Márquez J. Metabolic Reprogramming of Cancer by Chemicals that Target Glutaminase Isoenzymes. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:5317-5339. [PMID: 31038055 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190416165004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metabolic reprogramming of tumours is a hallmark of cancer. Among the changes in the metabolic network of cancer cells, glutaminolysis is a key reaction altered in neoplasms. Glutaminase proteins control the first step in glutamine metabolism and their expression correlates with malignancy and growth rate of a great variety of cancers. The two types of glutaminase isoenzymes, GLS and GLS2, differ in their expression patterns and functional roles: GLS has oncogenic properties and GLS2 has been described as a tumour suppressor factor. RESULTS We have focused on glutaminase connections with key oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. Targeting glutaminase isoenzymes includes different strategies aimed at deactivating the rewiring of cancer metabolism. In addition, we found a long list of metabolic enzymes, transcription factors and signalling pathways dealing with glutaminase. On the other hand, a number of chemicals have been described as isoenzyme-specific inhibitors of GLS and/or GLS2 isoforms. These molecules are being characterized as synergic and therapeutic agents in many types of tumours. CONCLUSION This review states the metabolic pathways that are rewired in cancer, the roles of glutaminase isoforms in cancer, as well as the metabolic circuits regulated by glutaminases. We also show the plethora of anticancer drugs that specifically inhibit glutaminase isoenzymes for treating several sets of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Matés
- Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga (IBIMA), Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Canceromics Lab, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Teatinos, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
| | - José A Campos-Sandoval
- Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga (IBIMA), Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Canceromics Lab, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Teatinos, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
| | - Juan de Los Santos-Jiménez
- Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga (IBIMA), Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Canceromics Lab, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Teatinos, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
| | - Juan A Segura
- Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga (IBIMA), Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Canceromics Lab, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Teatinos, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
| | - Francisco J Alonso
- Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga (IBIMA), Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Canceromics Lab, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Teatinos, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
| | - Javier Márquez
- Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga (IBIMA), Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Canceromics Lab, Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Teatinos, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain
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Zhou WX, Chen C, Liu XQ, Li Y, Lin YL, Wu XT, Kong LY, Luo JG. Discovery and optimization of withangulatin A derivatives as novel glutaminase 1 inhibitors for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 210:112980. [PMID: 33176943 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
To develop novel GLS1 inhibitors as effective therapeutic agents for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), 25 derivatives were synthesized from the natural inhibitor withangulatin A (IC50 = 18.2 μM). Bioassay optimization identified a novel and selective GLS1 inhibitor 7 (IC50 = 1.08 μM). In MDA-MB-231 cells, 7 diminished cellular glutamate levels by blocking glutaminolysis pathway, further triggering the generation of reactive oxygen species to induce caspase-dependent apoptosis. Molecular docking indicated that 7 interacted with a new reacting site of allosteric binding pocket by forming various interactions in GLS1. The intraperitoneal administration of 7 at a dose of 50 mg/kg exhibited remarkable therapeutic effects and no apparent toxicity in the MDA-MB-231 xenograft model, indicating its potential as a novel GLS1 inhibitor for treatment of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu-Xi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Chen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Xiao-Qin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Yao-Lan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Xiu-Tao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Ling-Yi Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Jian-Guang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bioactive Natural Product Research, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
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