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Wu T, Lu ZF, Yu HN, Wu XS, Liu Y, Xu Y. Liver receptor homolog-1: structures, related diseases, and drug discovery. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024; 45:1571-1581. [PMID: 38632319 PMCID: PMC11272790 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01276-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a ligand-regulated transcription factor that plays crucial roles in metabolism, development, and immunity. Despite being classified as an 'orphan' receptor due to the ongoing debate surrounding its endogenous ligands, recent researches have demonstrated that LRH-1 can be modulated by various synthetic ligands. This highlights the potential of LRH-1 as an attractive drug target for the treatment of inflammation, metabolic disorders, and cancer. In this review, we provide an overview of the structural basis, functional activities, associated diseases, and advancements in therapeutic ligand research targeting LRH-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Center for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Fang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Center for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao-Nan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Center for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi-Shan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Center for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
| | - Yong Xu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, China-New Zealand Joint Laboratory of Biomedicine and Health, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biocomputing, Center for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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2
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Kaiser J, Gertzen CGW, Bernauer T, Nitsche V, Höfner G, Niessen KV, Seeger T, Paintner FF, Wanner KT, Steinritz D, Worek F, Gohlke H. Identification of ligands binding to MB327-PAM-1, a binding pocket relevant for resensitization of nAChRs. Toxicol Lett 2024; 398:91-104. [PMID: 38768836 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2024.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Desensitization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) can be induced by overstimulation with acetylcholine (ACh) caused by an insufficient degradation of ACh after poisoning with organophosphorus compounds (OPCs). Currently, there is no generally applicable treatment for OPC poisoning that directly targets the desensitized nAChR. The bispyridinium compound MB327, an allosteric modulator of nAChR, has been shown to act as a resensitizer of nAChRs, indicating that drugs binding directly to nAChRs can have beneficial effects after OPC poisoning. However, MB327 also acts as an inhibitor of nAChRs at higher concentrations and can thus not be used for OPC poisoning treatment. Consequently, novel, more potent resensitizers are required. To successfully design novel ligands, the knowledge of the binding site is of utmost importance. Recently, we performed in silico studies to identify a new potential binding site of MB327, MB327-PAM-1, for which a more affine ligand, UNC0646, has been described. In this work, we performed ligand-based screening approaches to identify novel analogs of UNC0646 to help further understand the structure-affinity relationship of this compound class. Furthermore, we used structure-based screenings and identified compounds representing four new chemotypes binding to MB327-PAM-1. One of these compounds, cycloguanil, is the active metabolite of the antimalaria drug proguanil and shows a higher affinity towards MB327-PAM-1 than MB327. Furthermore, cycloguanil can reestablish the muscle force in soman-inhibited rat muscles. These results can act as a starting point to develop more potent resensitizers of nAChR and to close the gap in the treatment after OPC poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesko Kaiser
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christoph G W Gertzen
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tamara Bernauer
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Valentin Nitsche
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Georg Höfner
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Karin V Niessen
- Bundeswehr Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Seeger
- Bundeswehr Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Munich, Germany
| | - Franz F Paintner
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Klaus T Wanner
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Dirk Steinritz
- Bundeswehr Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Munich, Germany
| | - Franz Worek
- Bundeswehr Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Munich, Germany
| | - Holger Gohlke
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-4: Bioinformatics), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
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Chapagain P, Haratipour Z, Malabanan MM, Choi WJ, Blind RD. Bilirubin is a new ligand for nuclear receptor Liver Receptor Homolog-1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.05.592606. [PMID: 38853895 PMCID: PMC11160564 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.05.592606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The nuclear receptor Liver Receptor Homolog-1 (LRH-1, NR5A2 ) binds to phospholipids that regulate important LRH-1 functions in the liver. A recent compound screen unexpectedly identified bilirubin, the product of liver heme metabolism, as a possible ligand for LRH-1. Here, we show unconjugated bilirubin directly binds LRH-1 with apparent K d =9.3uM, altering LRH-1 interaction with all transcriptional coregulator peptides tested. Bilirubin decreased LRH-1 protease sensitivity, consistent with MD simulations predicting bilirubin stably binds LRH-1 within the canonical ligand binding site. Bilirubin activated a luciferase reporter specific for LRH-1, dependent on co-expression with the bilirubin membrane transporter SLCO1B1 , but bilirubin failed to activate ligand-binding genetic mutants of LRH-1. Gene profiling in HepG2 cells shows bilirubin selectively regulated transcripts from endogenous LRH-1 ChIP-seq target genes, which was significantly attenuated by either genetic knockdown of LRH-1, or by a specific chemical competitor of LRH-1. Gene set enrichment suggests bilirubin and LRH-1 share roles in cholesterol metabolism and lipid efflux, thus we propose a new role for LRH-1 in directly sensing intracellular levels of bilirubin.
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Manickasamy MK, Jayaprakash S, Girisa S, Kumar A, Lam HY, Okina E, Eng H, Alqahtani MS, Abbas M, Sethi G, Kumar AP, Kunnumakkara AB. Delineating the role of nuclear receptors in colorectal cancer, a focused review. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:41. [PMID: 38372868 PMCID: PMC10876515 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-023-00808-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) stands as one of the most prevalent form of cancer globally, causing a significant number of deaths, surpassing 0.9 million in the year 2020. According to GLOBOCAN 2020, CRC ranks third in incidence and second in mortality in both males and females. Despite extensive studies over the years, there is still a need to establish novel therapeutic targets to enhance the patients' survival rate in CRC. Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-activated transcription factors (TFs) that regulate numerous essential biological processes such as differentiation, development, physiology, reproduction, and cellular metabolism. Dysregulation and anomalous expression of different NRs has led to multiple alterations, such as impaired signaling cascades, mutations, and epigenetic changes, leading to various diseases, including cancer. It has been observed that differential expression of various NRs might lead to the initiation and progression of CRC, and are correlated with poor survival outcomes in CRC patients. Despite numerous studies on the mechanism and role of NRs in this cancer, it remains of significant scientific interest primarily due to the diverse functions that various NRs exhibit in regulating key hallmarks of this cancer. Thus, modulating the expression of NRs with their agonists and antagonists, based on their expression levels, holds an immense prospect in the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutical modalities of CRC. In this review, we primarily focus on the role and mechanism of NRs in the pathogenesis of CRC and emphasized the significance of targeting these NRs using a variety of agents, which may represent a novel and effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of this cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukesh Kumar Manickasamy
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Sujitha Jayaprakash
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Sosmitha Girisa
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Aviral Kumar
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India
| | - Hiu Yan Lam
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117600, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117699, Singapore
| | - Elena Okina
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117600, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117699, Singapore
| | - Huiyan Eng
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117600, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117699, Singapore
| | - Mohammed S Alqahtani
- Radiological Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, 61421, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- BioImaging Unit, Space Research Centre, Michael Atiyah Building, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Mohamed Abbas
- Electrical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, 61421, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117600, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117699, Singapore
| | - Alan Prem Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117600, Singapore.
- NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, 117699, Singapore.
| | - Ajaikumar B Kunnumakkara
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG), Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India.
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Ye W, Ya‐xuan C, Shan‐shan T, Qiu L, Ting M, Shao‐jie C, Yu C. NR5A2 promotes malignancy progression and mediates the effect of cisplatin in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Immun Inflamm Dis 2024; 12:e1172. [PMID: 38358044 PMCID: PMC10868143 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Nuclear receptor subfamily five group A member two (NR5A2) plays a key role in the development of many tumor types, while it is uncertain in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). The aim of this work was to determine the role of NR5A2 in cSCC proliferation, and to determine whether NR5A2 mediates the effect of cisplatin in cSCC. METHODS We performed a systematic study of existing data and conducted a preliminary bioinformatics analysis of NR5A2 expression in cSCC using bioinformatics databases. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on cSCC tissues of seven patients to study NR5A2 expression. NR5A2 expression was examined in human keratin-forming cells (HaCaT) and human cSCC cells (A431, Colo-16, SCL-1, SCL-2, and HSC-5). Stable A431 and SCL-2 cell lines consisting of sh-RNA-NR5A2 were constructed to detect changes in cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and to determine the key proteins in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. We also investigated changes in the effects of cisplatin on cSCC cells by CCK-8, clone formation assay, and Flow apoptosis assay after NR5A2 knockdown. RESULTS NR5A2 showed enhanced expression in cSCC tissues than in healthy tissues. Downregulation of NR5A2 in cSCC cells led to the formation of a less malignant phenotype. In contrast, the proliferative capacity of the cSCC cells was enhanced posttreatment with RJW100, an NR5A2 agonist. Additionally, NR5A2 knockdown led to a decrease in the expression level of the proteins in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and this inhibition was reversed by LiCl and recombinant antibody, Wnt3a. Moreover, NR5A2 knockdown resulted in diminished proliferative capacity and increased apoptotic cells after the addition of cisplatin. CONCLUSION NR5A2 plays a crucial role in the progression of cSCC, and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may be involved in the regulation of NR5A2-mediated cSCC. Knockdown of NR5A2 enhanced both the proliferation inhibiting and apoptosis promoting effects of cisplatin on cSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Ye
- School of Clinical MedicineGuizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Cao Ya‐xuan
- Department of DermatologyAffiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Tang Shan‐shan
- School of Clinical MedicineGuizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Long Qiu
- School of Clinical MedicineGuizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Ma Ting
- School of Clinical MedicineGuizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Chen Shao‐jie
- School of Clinical MedicineGuizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
- Department of Hepatobiliary SurgeryAffiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
| | - Cao Yu
- School of Clinical MedicineGuizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
- Department of DermatologyAffiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical UniversityGuiyangChina
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Sánchez V, Baumann A, Brandt A, Wodak MF, Staltner R, Bergheim I. Oral Supplementation of Phosphatidylcholine Attenuates the Onset of a Diet-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis in Female C57BL/6J Mice. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024; 17:785-800. [PMID: 38262589 PMCID: PMC10966192 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2024.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Changes in phosphatidylcholine levels in the liver have been associated with the development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Here, the effects of supplementing phosphatidylcholine on the development of early signs of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis were assessed. METHODS Male and female C57BL/6J mice were fed a liquid control or a fructose-, fat-, and/or cholesterol-rich diet for 7 or 8 weeks. The diets of female mice were fortified ± phosphatidylcholine (12.5 mg/g diet). In liver tissue and portal blood, indices of liver damage, inflammation, and bacterial endotoxemia were measured. J774A.1 cells and human monocytes preincubated with phosphatidylcholine (0.38 mmol/L) were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (50-100 ng/mL) ± the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) activator pioglitazone (10 μmol/L) or ± a liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH-1) antagonist 1-(3'-[1-(2-[4-morpholinyl]ethyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]-3-biphenylyl)ethanon (1-10 μmol/L). RESULTS In fructose-, fat-, and/or cholesterol-rich diet-fed mice the development of fatty liver and the beginning of inflammation were associated with significantly lower hepatic phosphatidylcholine levels when compared with controls. Supplementing phosphatidylcholine significantly attenuated the development of fatty liver and inflammation, being associated with protection against the induction of PPARγ2, and activation of nuclear factor of κ light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cell inhibitor α whereas Lrh1 expression was unchanged. The protective effects of phosphatidylcholine on the lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of J774A.1 cells and human monocytes were attenuated significantly by the PPARγ activator pioglitazone and the LRH-1 antagonist. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that phosphatidylcholine levels in the liver are lower in early metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis in mice and that supplementation of phosphatidylcholine can diminish the development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease through mechanisms involving LRH-1/PPARγ2/ nuclear factor κ-light-chain enhancer of activated B-cell signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Sánchez
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Molecular Nutritional Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anja Baumann
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Molecular Nutritional Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Annette Brandt
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Molecular Nutritional Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maximilian F Wodak
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Molecular Nutritional Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Raphaela Staltner
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Molecular Nutritional Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ina Bergheim
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Molecular Nutritional Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Zheng Q, Tang J, Aicher A, Bou Kheir T, Sabanovic B, Ananthanarayanan P, Reina C, Chen M, Gu JM, He B, Alcala S, Behrens D, Lawlo RT, Scarpa A, Hidalgo M, Sainz B, Sancho P, Heeschen C. Inhibiting NR5A2 targets stemness in pancreatic cancer by disrupting SOX2/MYC signaling and restoring chemosensitivity. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:323. [PMID: 38012687 PMCID: PMC10683265 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02883-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a profoundly aggressive and fatal cancer. One of the key factors defining its aggressiveness and resilience against chemotherapy is the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The important task of discovering upstream regulators of stemness that are amenable for targeting in PDAC is essential for the advancement of more potent therapeutic approaches. In this study, we sought to elucidate the function of the nuclear receptor subfamily 5, group A, member 2 (NR5A2) in the context of pancreatic CSCs. METHODS We modeled human PDAC using primary PDAC cells and CSC-enriched sphere cultures. NR5A2 was genetically silenced or inhibited with Cpd3. Assays included RNA-seq, sphere/colony formation, cell viability/toxicity, real-time PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence, ChIP, CUT&Tag, XF Analysis, lactate production, and in vivo tumorigenicity assays. PDAC models from 18 patients were treated with Cpd3-loaded nanocarriers. RESULTS Our findings demonstrate that NR5A2 plays a dual role in PDAC. In differentiated cancer cells, NR5A2 promotes cell proliferation by inhibiting CDKN1A. On the other hand, in the CSC population, NR5A2 enhances stemness by upregulating SOX2 through direct binding to its promotor/enhancer region. Additionally, NR5A2 suppresses MYC, leading to the activation of the mitochondrial biogenesis factor PPARGC1A and a shift in metabolism towards oxidative phosphorylation, which is a crucial feature of stemness in PDAC. Importantly, our study shows that the specific NR5A2 inhibitor, Cpd3, sensitizes a significant fraction of PDAC models derived from 18 patients to standard chemotherapy. This treatment approach results in durable remissions and long-term survival. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the expression levels of NR5A2/SOX2 can predict the response to treatment. CONCLUSIONS The findings of our study highlight the cell context-dependent effects of NR5A2 in PDAC. We have identified a novel pharmacological strategy to modulate SOX2 and MYC levels, which disrupts stemness and prevents relapse in this deadly disease. These insights provide valuable information for the development of targeted therapies for PDAC, offering new hope for improved patient outcomes. A Schematic illustration of the role of NR5A2 in cancer stem cells versus differentiated cancer cells, along with the action of the NR5A2 inhibitor Cpd3. B Overall survival of tumor-bearing mice following allocated treatment. A total of 18 PDX models were treated using a 2 x 1 x 1 approach (two animals per model per treatment); n=36 per group (illustration created with biorender.com ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Zheng
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajia Tang
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Alexandra Aicher
- Precision Immunotherapy, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Immunology Research and Development Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tony Bou Kheir
- Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Berina Sabanovic
- Pancreatic Cancer Heterogeneity Lab, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy
| | - Preeta Ananthanarayanan
- Pancreatic Cancer Heterogeneity Lab, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Reina
- Pancreatic Cancer Heterogeneity Lab, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy
| | - Minchun Chen
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Min Gu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin He
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Sonia Alcala
- Molecular Pathology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" CSIC-UAM, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Área Cáncer, CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Behrens
- Experimental Pharmacology and Oncology Berlin-Buch GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rita T Lawlo
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- ARC-Net, Applied Research On Cancer Centre, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- ARC-Net, Applied Research On Cancer Centre, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Manuel Hidalgo
- Clinical Research Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Bruno Sainz
- Molecular Pathology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols" CSIC-UAM, Chronic Diseases and Cancer Area 3 Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Área Cáncer, CIBERONC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Sancho
- IIS Aragon, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, 50009, Saragossa, Spain.
| | - Christopher Heeschen
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Pancreatic Cancer Heterogeneity Lab, Candiolo Cancer Institute - FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo, Turin, Italy.
- Molecular Pathology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.
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Phengsakun G, Boonyarit B, Rungrotmongkol T, Suginta W. Structure-based virtual screening for potent inhibitors of GH-20 β-N-acetylglucosaminidase: classical and machine learning scoring functions, and molecular dynamics simulations. Comput Biol Chem 2023; 104:107856. [PMID: 37003097 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2023.107856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
GH-20 β-N-acetylglucosaminidases (GlcNAcases) are promising targets in the development of antimicrobial agents against Vibrio infections in humans and aquatic animals. In this study, we set up structure-based virtual screening to identify potential GH-20 GlcNAcase inhibitors from the Reaxys commercial database, using VhGlcNAcase from V. campbellii type strain ATCC® BAA 1116 as the protein target and Redoxal as the reference ligand. Using ChemPLP and RF-Score-VS machine learning scoring functions, eight lead compounds were identified and further evaluated for protein interaction preference and pharmacological properties. Protein-ligand analysis demonstrated that all selected compounds interacted exclusively at subsite - 1 with five hydrophobic residues W487, W505, W546, W582 and V544 at site S1, and with two polar residues, D437 and E438, at site 3. For subsite + 1, the most common residues were R274 and E584 at site 2 and I397 and Q398 at site 4. Based on the data obtained from binding free energy changes (ΔG°binding), pharmacological property analysis and molecular dynamic simulations, two ChemPLP compounds, 338175 and 1146525, and one RF-Score-VS compound, 337447, were considered as the likely lead compounds. The most promising compound, 1146525, could serve as a scaffold for the future design of novel antimicrobial agents against Vibrio infections.
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Politis PK, Charonis AS. Calreticulin in renal fibrosis: A short review. J Cell Mol Med 2022; 26:5949-5954. [PMID: 36440574 PMCID: PMC9753439 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17627] [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: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis is a common denominator of several pathological conditions. Over the last decade, Calreticulin has emerged as a critical player in the fibrotic processes in many tissues and organs. Here we review the recent advances in our understanding of the regulatory roles of Calreticulin in renal fibrosis. In particular, a proteomic screen that we performed more than 15 years ago, for the identification of novel components involved in the mechanisms of renal fibrosis, led to the observation that Calreticulin is associated with the initiation and progression of kidney fibrosis in a rodent model. We also showed that altered expression levels of Calreticulin in vitro and in vivo are significantly affecting the fibrotic phenotype in cellular systems and animal models, respectively. We also identified an upstream regulatory mechanism that mediates the transcriptional control of Calreticulin expression during the progression of renal fibrosis, by showing that the druggable orphan nuclear receptor NR5A2 and its SUMOylation is involved in this action. These data provide novel targets for future pharmacological interventions against fibrosis. In addition, further proteomic analysis uncovered a correlation between the up-regulation of Calreticulin and that of 14-3-3σ protein. Collectively, our previous observations suggest that Calreticulin is a central node in a regulatory axis that controls the initiation and progression of renal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis K. Politis
- Center for Basic ResearchBiomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Aristidis S. Charonis
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational ResearchBiomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of AthensAthensGreece,University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision MedicineAthensGreece
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10
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Michalek S, Goj T, Plazzo AP, Marovca B, Bornhauser B, Brunner T. LRH
‐1/
NR5A2
interacts with the glucocorticoid receptor to regulate glucocorticoid resistance. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e54195. [PMID: 35801407 PMCID: PMC9442305 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202154195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Michalek
- Department of Biology, Biochemical Pharmacology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology KORS‐CB University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Thomas Goj
- Department of Biology, Biochemical Pharmacology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Anna Pia Plazzo
- Department of Biology, Biochemical Pharmacology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - Blerim Marovca
- Division of Oncology and Children's Research Centre University Children's Hospital Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Beat Bornhauser
- Division of Oncology and Children's Research Centre University Children's Hospital Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Thomas Brunner
- Department of Biology, Biochemical Pharmacology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology KORS‐CB University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
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11
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Sellami A, Réau M, Montes M, Lagarde N. Review of in silico studies dedicated to the nuclear receptor family: Therapeutic prospects and toxicological concerns. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:986016. [PMID: 36176461 PMCID: PMC9513233 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.986016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Being in the center of both therapeutic and toxicological concerns, NRs are widely studied for drug discovery application but also to unravel the potential toxicity of environmental compounds such as pesticides, cosmetics or additives. High throughput screening campaigns (HTS) are largely used to detect compounds able to interact with this protein family for both therapeutic and toxicological purposes. These methods lead to a large amount of data requiring the use of computational approaches for a robust and correct analysis and interpretation. The output data can be used to build predictive models to forecast the behavior of new chemicals based on their in vitro activities. This atrticle is a review of the studies published in the last decade and dedicated to NR ligands in silico prediction for both therapeutic and toxicological purposes. Over 100 articles concerning 14 NR subfamilies were carefully read and analyzed in order to retrieve the most commonly used computational methods to develop predictive models, to retrieve the databases deployed in the model building process and to pinpoint some of the limitations they faced.
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12
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Lang A, Isigkeit L, Schubert-Zsilavecz M, Merk D. The Medicinal Chemistry and Therapeutic Potential of LRH-1 Modulators. J Med Chem 2021; 64:16956-16973. [PMID: 34839661 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The ligand-activated transcription factor liver receptor homologue 1 (LRH-1, NR5A2) is involved in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis, including cholesterol and glucose balance. Preliminary evidence points to therapeutic potential of LRH-1 modulation in diabetes, hepatic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, atherosclerosis, and certain cancers, but because of a lack of suitable ligands, pharmacological control of LRH-1 has been insufficiently studied. Despite the availability of considerable structural knowledge on LRH-1, only a few ligand chemotypes have been developed, and potent, selective, and bioavailable tools to explore LRH-1 modulation in vivo are lacking. In view of the therapeutic potential of LRH-1 in prevalent diseases, improved chemical tools are needed to probe the beneficial and adverse effects of pharmacological LRH-1 modulation in sophisticated preclinical models and to further elucidate the receptor's molecular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Lang
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Laura Isigkeit
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstr. 5-13, D-81377 Munich, Germany
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13
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Abstract
Structure-based drug discovery has become a promising and efficient approach for
identifying novel and potent drug candidates with less time and cost than conventional drug
discovery approaches. It has been widely used in the pharmaceutical industry since it uses the 3D
structure of biological protein targets and thereby allows us to understand the molecular basis of
diseases. For the virtual identification of drug candidates based on structure, there are a few steps for
protein and compound preparations to obtain accurate results. In this review, the software and webtools
for the preparation and structure-based simulation are introduced. In addition, recent
improvements in structure-based virtual screening, target library designing for virtual screening,
docking, scoring, and post-processing of top hits are also introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Shaker
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kha Mong Tran
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - Chanjin Jung
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dokyun Na
- School of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, Korea
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14
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Marchetti F, Moroni E, Pandini A, Colombo G. Machine Learning Prediction of Allosteric Drug Activity from Molecular Dynamics. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:3724-3732. [PMID: 33843228 PMCID: PMC8154828 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Allosteric drugs have been attracting increasing interest over the past few years. In this context, it is common practice to use high-throughput screening for the discovery of non-natural allosteric drugs. While the discovery stage is supported by a growing amount of biological information and increasing computing power, major challenges still remain in selecting allosteric ligands and predicting their effect on the target protein's function. Indeed, allosteric compounds can act both as inhibitors and activators of biological responses. Computational approaches to the problem have focused on variations on the theme of molecular docking coupled to molecular dynamics with the aim of recovering information on the (long-range) modulation typical of allosteric proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Marchetti
- Department
of Chemistry, Università Degli Studi
di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Università
Degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Moroni
- Istituto
di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Via Mario Bianco 9, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | | | - Giorgio Colombo
- Department
of Chemistry, Università Degli Studi
di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Istituto
di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Via Mario Bianco 9, 20131 Milano, Italy
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15
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Sun Y, Demagny H, Schoonjans K. Emerging functions of the nuclear receptor LRH-1 in liver physiology and pathology. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2021; 1867:166145. [PMID: 33862147 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptors play pleiotropic roles in cell differentiation, development, proliferation, and metabolic processes to govern liver physiology and pathology. The nuclear receptor, liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1, NR5A2), originally identified in the liver as a regulator of bile acid and cholesterol homeostasis, was recently recognized to coordinate a multitude of other hepatic metabolic processes, including glucose and lipid processing, methyl group sensing, and cellular stress responses. In this review, we summarize the physiological and pathophysiological functions of LRH-1 in the liver, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. This review also focuses on the recent advances highlighting LRH-1 as an attractive target for liver-associated diseases, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Sun
- Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hadrien Demagny
- Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kristina Schoonjans
- Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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16
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Tsampoula M, Tarampoulous I, Antoniadou I, Koutmani Y, Gkikas D, Vekrellis K, Politis PK. Nuclear Receptor NR5A2 Promotes Neuronal Identity in the Adult Hippocampus. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:1952-1962. [PMID: 33411242 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02222-8] [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: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the adult hippocampus is actively involved in brain homeostasis. Thus, identification of novel regulators in adult neurogenesis could significantly contribute to new therapies. We have recently unraveled the regulatory role of NR5A2 (also known as LRH1), a druggable orphan nuclear receptor, in embryonic neurogenesis. However, its involvement in adult neurogenesis is still an open question. Here we show that NR5A2 is differentially expressed in the DG of the adult hippocampus with neurons exhibiting higher levels of expression than adult neural stem/progenitor cells (aNSCs), suggesting a correlation with neuronal differentiation. Notably, NR5A2 overexpression in ex vivo cultured aNSCs induces expression of Prox1, a critical regulator of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. In agreement, NR5A2 is sufficient to reduce proliferation, increase neuronal differentiation, and promote axon outgrowth. Moreover, depletion of NR5A2 in DG cells in vivo caused a decrease in the number of NeuN as well as Calbindin-positive neurons, indicating its necessity for the maintenance of neuronal identity. Our data propose a regulatory role of NR5A2 in neuronal differentiation and fate specification of adult hippocampal NSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matina Tsampoula
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Isaak Tarampoulous
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Ivi Antoniadou
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Yassemi Koutmani
- Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Gkikas
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Kostas Vekrellis
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis K Politis
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
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17
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Mays SG, Stec J, Liu X, D'Agostino EH, Whitby RJ, Ortlund EA. Enantiomer-specific activities of an LRH-1 and SF-1 dual agonist. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22279. [PMID: 33335203 PMCID: PMC7747700 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79251-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chirality is an important consideration in drug development: it can influence recognition of the intended target, pharmacokinetics, and off-target effects. Here, we investigate how chirality affects the activity and mechanism of action of RJW100, a racemic agonist of the nuclear receptors liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) and steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1). LRH-1 and SF-1 modulators are highly sought as treatments for metabolic and neoplastic diseases, and RJW100 has one of the few scaffolds shown to activate them. However, enantiomer-specific effects on receptor activation are poorly understood. We show that the enantiomers have similar binding affinities, but RR-RJW100 stabilizes both receptors and is 46% more active than SS-RJW100 in LRH-1 luciferase reporter assays. We present an LRH-1 crystal structure that illuminates striking mechanistic differences: SS-RJW100 adopts multiple configurations in the pocket and fails to make an interaction critical for activation by RR-RJW100. In molecular dynamics simulations, SS-RJW100 attenuates intramolecular signalling important for coregulator recruitment, consistent with previous observations that it weakly recruits coregulators in vitro. These studies provide a rationale for pursuing enantiomerically pure RJW100 derivatives: they establish RR-RJW100 as the stronger LRH-1 agonist and identify a potential for optimizing the SS-RJW100 scaffold for antagonist design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne G Mays
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Carrer Dr. Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Józef Stec
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hants, SO17, United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Marshall B. Ketchum University, 2575 Yorba Linda Blvd, Fullerton, CA, 82831, USA
| | - Xu Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Emma H D'Agostino
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Richard J Whitby
- School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hants, SO17, United Kingdom
| | - Eric A Ortlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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18
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Michalek S, Brunner T. Nuclear-mitochondrial crosstalk: On the role of the nuclear receptor liver receptor homolog-1 (NR5A2) in the regulation of mitochondrial metabolism, cell survival, and cancer. IUBMB Life 2020; 73:592-610. [PMID: 32931651 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1, NR5A2) is an orphan nuclear receptor with widespread activities in the regulation of development, stemness, metabolism, steroidogenesis, and proliferation. Many of the LRH-1-regulated processes target the mitochondria and associated activities. While under physiological conditions, a balanced LRH-1 expression and regulation contribute to the maintenance of a physiological equilibrium, deregulation of LRH-1 has been associated with inflammation and cancer. In this review, we discuss the role and mechanism(s) of how LRH-1 regulates metabolic processes, cell survival, and cancer in a nuclear-mitochondrial crosstalk, and evaluate its potential as a pharmacological target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Michalek
- Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Thomas Brunner
- Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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19
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Mubashir N, Fatima R, Naeem S. Identification of Novel Phyto-chemicals from Ocimum basilicum for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease using In Silico Approach. Curr Comput Aided Drug Des 2020; 16:420-434. [PMID: 32883197 DOI: 10.2174/1573409915666190503113617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parkinson's disease is characterized by decreased level of dopaminergic neurotransmitters and this decrease is due to the degradation of dopamine by protein Monoamine Oxidase B (MAO-B). In order to treat Parkinson's disease, MAO-B should be inhibited. OBJECTIVE To find out the novel phytochemicals from plant Ocimum basilicum that can inhibit MAO-B by using the in silico methods. METHODS The data of chemical constituents from plant Ocimum basilicum was collected and inhibitory activity of these phytochemicals was then predicted by using the Structure-Based (SB) and Ligand-Based Virtual Screening (LBVS) methods. Molecular docking, one of the common Structure-Based Virtual Screening method, has been used during this search. Traditionally, molecular docking is used to predict the orientation and binding affinity of the ligand within the active site of the protein. Molegro Virtual Docker (MVD) software has been used for this purpose. On the other hand, Random Forest Model, one of the LBVS method, has also been used to predict the activity of these chemical constituents of Ocimum basilicum against the MAO-B. RESULTS During the docking studies, all the 108 compounds found in Ocimum basilicum were docked within the active site of MAO-B (PDB code: 4A79) out of which, 57 compounds successfully formed the hydrogen bond with tyr 435, a crucial amino acid for the biological activity of the enzyme. Rutin (-182.976 Kcal/mol), Luteolin (-163.171 Kcal/mol), Eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside (- 160.13 Kcal/mol), Rosmarinic acid (-133.484 Kcal/mol) and Isoquercitrin (-131.493 Kcal/mol) are among the top hits with the highest MolDock score along with hydrogen interaction with tyr 435. Using the RF model, ten compounds out of 108 chemical constituent of Ocimum basilicum were predicted to be active, Apigenin (1.0), Eriodictyol (1.0), Orientin (0.876), Kaempferol (0.8536), Luteolin (0.813953) and Rosmarinic-Acid (0.7738095) are predicted to be most active with the highest RF score. CONCLUSION The comparison of the two screening methods show that the ten compounds that were predicted to be active by the RF model, are also found in top hits of docking studies with the highest score. The top hits obtained during this study are predicted to be the inhibitor of MAO-B, thus, could be used further for the development of drugs for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nageen Mubashir
- Bioinformatics & Biophysics Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
| | - Rida Fatima
- Bioinformatics & Biophysics Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
| | - Sadaf Naeem
- Bioinformatics & Biophysics Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
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20
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Cornelison JL, Cato ML, Johnson AM, D'Agostino EH, Melchers D, Patel AB, Mays SG, Houtman R, Ortlund EA, Jui NT. Development of a new class of liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) agonists by photoredox conjugate addition. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2020; 30:127293. [PMID: 32631515 PMCID: PMC7701997 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2020.127293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
LRH-1 is a nuclear receptor that regulates lipid metabolism and homeostasis, making it an attractive target for the treatment of diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Building on recent structural information about ligand binding from our labs, we have designed a series of new LRH-1 agonists that further engage LRH-1 through added polar interactions. While the current synthetic approach to this scaffold has, in large part, allowed for decoration of the agonist core, significant variation of the bridgehead substituent is mechanistically precluded. We have developed a new synthetic approach to overcome this limitation, identified that bridgehead substitution is necessary for LRH-1 activation, and described an alternative class of bridgehead substituents for effective LRH-1 agonist development. We determined the crystal structure of LRH-1 bound to a bridgehead-modified compound, revealing a promising opportunity to target novel regions of the ligand binding pocket to alter LRH-1 target gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael L Cato
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Alyssa M Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Emma H D'Agostino
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Diana Melchers
- Precision Medicine Lab, Pivot Park, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Building, Office1131/lab1333, Kloosterstraat 9, 5349 AB Oss, the Netherlands
| | - Anamika B Patel
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Suzanne G Mays
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - René Houtman
- Precision Medicine Lab, Pivot Park, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Building, Office1131/lab1333, Kloosterstraat 9, 5349 AB Oss, the Netherlands
| | - Eric A Ortlund
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
| | - Nathan T Jui
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
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21
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Uddin R, Siraj B, Rafi S, Azam SS, Wadood A. Structure-based Virtual Screening Approach for the Discovery of Potent Inhibitors of Aminoglycoside 6'-N-Acetyltransferase Type Ib [AAC(6')-Ib] against K. pneumoniae Infections. LETT DRUG DES DISCOV 2020. [DOI: 10.2174/1570180817666200108095912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:
Aminoglycoside 6'-N-acetyltransferase type Ib (AAC(6')-Ib) from
Klebsiella pneumoniae is an established drug target and has conferred insensitivity to
aminoglycosides. Aminoglycosides are often inactivated by aminoglycoside modifying enzymes
encoded by genes present in the chromosome, plasmids, and other genetic elements. The AAC(6′)-
Ib is an enzyme of clinical importance found in a wide variety of gram-negative pathogens. The
AAC(6′)-Ib enzyme is of interest not only because of its ubiquity but also because of other
characteristics e.g., it presents significant microheterogeneity at the N-termini and the aac(6′)-Ib
gene is often present in integrons, transposons, plasmids, genomic islands, and other genetic
structures. The majority of the reported potent inhibitors against the target are substrate analogs.
Therefore, there is a need to develop or discover new scaffolds other than substrate analogs as
AAC(6')-Ib inhibitor.
Objective:
The objective of this study is to set optimum parameters for the structure-based virtual
screening by multiple docking and scoring methods. The multiple scoring of each ligand also
incorporates the ‘Induced Fit’ docking effect that helps to build further confidence in the shortlisted
compounds. The method eventually is able to predict the potential inhibitors that bind to the active
site and can potentially inhibit the activity of the Aminoglycoside 6′-N-acetyltransferase type Ib
[AAC(6’)-Ib] from Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Methods:
Using the available three-dimensional structure of enzyme AAC(6')-Ib inhibitor complex,
a structure-based virtual screening was performed with the hope of prioritizing the promising leads.
In order to set up the protocol, 30,000 drug-like molecules were selected from the ChemBridge
library. Multiple docking programs, i.e. UCSF DOCK6 and AutoDock Vina have been applied in
the current study so that a consensus is developed to the predicted binding modes and thus the
docking accuracy. The Amber scores of the Dock6 – a secondary scoring function was also used to
perform the ‘Induced Fit’ effect and correspondingly re-rank the compounds.
Results:
The top 30 ranked compounds of the most frequent scored were selected from the
histogram. The 2D interactions of those 30 compounds were drawn from the Ligplot+ tool. Six of
the compounds were prioritized as potential inhibitors as they are representing the maximum
number of interactions from the rest of the compounds and also possess the drug-likeness as
predicted by the estimated ADMET properties.
Conclusion:
This study provided useful insight that the proposed compounds have the potential to
bind to the aminoglycoside binding site of AAC(6′)-Ib that may eventually inhibit the Klebsiella
pneumoniae. This study has the potential to propose putative new and novel inhibitors against a
resistant drug target of Klebsiella pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reaz Uddin
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Bushra Siraj
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sidra Rafi
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Syed Sikander Azam
- National Centre for Bioinformatics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Wadood
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
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22
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D’Agostino EH, Flynn AR, Cornelison JL, Mays SG, Patel A, Jui NT, Ortlund EA. Development of a Versatile and Sensitive Direct Ligand Binding Assay for Human NR5A Nuclear Receptors. ACS Med Chem Lett 2020; 11:365-370. [PMID: 32184971 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As regulators of steroidogenesis, development, and metabolism, the nuclear receptor 5A (NR5A) subfamily members steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) and liver receptor homologue 1 (LRH-1) are important pharmacological targets for cancers and metabolic diseases. Evaluation of small molecule modulators and candidate endogenous ligands for these orphan receptors has been hindered by the lack of accessible, robust direct-binding assays. Here, we leverage the potency of our new NR5A agonist (6N) to create a high-affinity probe for fluorescence polarization competition assays by conjugating 6N to fluorescein (FAM). The 6N-FAM probe tightly binds the NR5A receptors and detects direct binding of synthetic and phospholipid ligands. For 25 LRH-1 agonists, affinity predicts potency in cellular activation assays, demonstrating the potential for this assay in drug discovery. Moreover, phospholipids dilauroylphosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol(4,5)phosphate bind with high affinity, demonstrating this assay is robust for evaluation of candidate endogenous ligands for human NR5A receptors.
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Choi S, Dong B, Lin CCJ, Heo MJ, Ho Kim K, Sun Z, Wagner M, Suh JM, Wang MC, Moore DD, Moore DD. Methyl-Sensing Nuclear Receptor Liver Receptor Homolog-1 Regulates Mitochondrial Function in Mouse Hepatocytes. Hepatology 2020; 71:1055-1069. [PMID: 31355949 PMCID: PMC6987012 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1; NR5A2) is a nuclear receptor that regulates metabolic homeostasis in the liver. Previous studies identified phosphatidylcholines as potential endogenous agonist ligands for LRH-1. In the liver, distinct subsets of phosphatidylcholine species are generated by two different pathways: choline addition to phosphatidic acid through the Kennedy pathway and trimethylation of phosphatidylethanolamine through phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyl transferase (PEMT). APPROACH AND RESULTS Here, we report that a PEMT-LRH-1 pathway specifically couples methyl metabolism and mitochondrial activities in hepatocytes. We show that the loss of Lrh-1 reduces mitochondrial number, basal respiration, beta-oxidation, and adenosine triphosphate production in hepatocytes and decreases expression of mitochondrial biogenesis and beta-oxidation genes. In contrast, activation of LRH-1 by its phosphatidylcholine agonists exerts opposite effects. While disruption of the Kennedy pathway does not affect the LRH-1-mediated regulation of mitochondrial activities, genetic or pharmaceutical inhibition of the PEMT pathway recapitulates the effects of Lrh-1 knockdown on mitochondria. Furthermore, we show that S-adenosyl methionine, a cofactor required for PEMT, is sufficient to induce Lrh-1 transactivation and consequently mitochondrial biogenesis. CONCLUSIONS A PEMT-LRH-1 axis regulates mitochondrial biogenesis and beta-oxidation in hepatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungwoo Choi
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Bingning Dong
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chih-Chun Janet Lin
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mi Jeong Heo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kang Ho Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhen Sun
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Martin Wagner
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Jae Myoung Suh
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Meng C. Wang
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA;,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA;,Correspondence: David D. Moore, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA, Phone: 713-798-3313, Fax: 713-798-3017, , Meng C. Wang, Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA, Phone: 713-798-1566,
| | - David D. Moore
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA;,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA;,Correspondence: David D. Moore, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA, Phone: 713-798-3313, Fax: 713-798-3017, , Meng C. Wang, Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA, Phone: 713-798-1566,
| | - David D. Moore
- Program in Developmental Biology Baylor College of Medicine Houston TX
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology Baylor College of Medicine Houston TX
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Pharmacological LRH-1/Nr5a2 inhibition limits pro-inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages and associated experimental hepatitis. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:154. [PMID: 32111818 PMCID: PMC7048823 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2348-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1, Nr5a2) is an orphan nuclear receptor mainly expressed in tissues of endodermal origin, where its physiological role has been extensively studied. LRH-1 has been implicated in liver cell differentiation and proliferation, as well as glucose, lipid, and bile acid metabolism. In addition, increasing evidence highlights its role in immunoregulatory processes via glucocorticoid synthesis in the intestinal epithelium. Although the direct function of LRH-1 in immune cells is fairly elucidated, a role of LRH-1 in the regulation of macrophage differentiation has been recently reported. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of LRH-1 in the regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages. Our data demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition, along with LRH-1 knockdown, significantly reduced the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the macrophage line RAW 264.7 cells, as well as in primary murine macrophages. This inhibitory effect was found to be independent of defects of LRH-1-regulated cell proliferation or toxic effects of the LRH-1 inhibitors. In contrast, LRH-1 inhibition reduced the mitochondrial ATP production and metabolism of macrophages through downregulation of the LRH-1 targets glucokinase and glutminase-2, and thus impairing the LPS-induced macrophage activation. Interestingly, in vivo pharmacological inhibition of LRH-1 also resulted in reduced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production and associated decreased liver damage in a macrophage- and TNF-dependent mouse model of hepatitis. Noteworthy, despite hepatocytes expressing high levels of LRH-1, pharmacological inhibition of LRH-1 per se did not cause any obvious liver damage. Therefore, this study proposes LRH-1 as an emerging therapeutic target in the treatment of inflammatory disorders, especially where macrophages and cytokines critically decide the extent of inflammation.
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25
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Gagic Z, Ruzic D, Djokovic N, Djikic T, Nikolic K. In silico Methods for Design of Kinase Inhibitors as Anticancer Drugs. Front Chem 2020; 7:873. [PMID: 31970149 PMCID: PMC6960140 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Rational drug design implies usage of molecular modeling techniques such as pharmacophore modeling, molecular dynamics, virtual screening, and molecular docking to explain the activity of biomolecules, define molecular determinants for interaction with the drug target, and design more efficient drug candidates. Kinases play an essential role in cell function and therefore are extensively studied targets in drug design and discovery. Kinase inhibitors are clinically very important and widely used antineoplastic drugs. In this review, computational methods used in rational drug design of kinase inhibitors are discussed and compared, considering some representative case studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zarko Gagic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Dusan Ruzic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nemanja Djokovic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Teodora Djikic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Katarina Nikolic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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26
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Xu L, Chen Z, Shao K, Wang Y, Cui L, Guo N. Rational discovery of novel type-III FTF antagonists to competitively suppress TIF-2 coactivation in liver cancer. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2019; 39:304-311. [PMID: 31755335 DOI: 10.1080/10799893.2019.1690513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Yancheng City, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng, China
| | - Zhongming Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Yancheng City, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng, China
| | - Keke Shao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Yancheng City, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng, China
| | - Yungang Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Yancheng City, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng, China
| | - Leilei Cui
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Yancheng City, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng, China
| | - Naizhou Guo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Yancheng City, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Yancheng, China
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27
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Lai HT, Tseng WK, Huang SW, Chao TC, Su Y. MicroRNA-203 diminishes the stemness of human colon cancer cells by suppressing GATA6 expression. J Cell Physiol 2019; 235:2866-2880. [PMID: 31544978 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The interaction between hyaluronan and CD44, an important cancer stem-cell marker, stimulates various tumor cell-specific functions such as the stemness of tumor cells. microRNA-203 (miR-203) can be downregulated by this interaction in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, which increases their stemness; however, the underlying mechanism is not yet defined. Here, we show that overexpression and sequestration of miR-203 in HCT-116 and HT-29 human CRC cells reduces and enhances their stemness, respectively. We also show that GATA-binding factor 6 (GATA6) is a direct target of miR-203. Our results indicate that upregulated expression of this transcription factor not only restores the self-renewal abilities of miR-203-overexpressing HCT-116 and HT-29 cells but also promotes the stemness properties of their parental counterparts. More important, we show that silencing the expression of either LRH-1 or Hes-1 is sufficient to diminish the stemness-promoting effects of GATA6 in human CRC cells. Together, our findings delineate the stemness-inhibitory mechanism of miR-203 in human CRC cells and suggest that this miR is a potential therapeutic agent for colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung-Tzi Lai
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Shi-Pai, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Wen-Ko Tseng
- Program in Molecular Medicine, School of Life Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Shi-Pai, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.,Colorectal Surgery Department, Chung-Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung Branch, Keelung, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Shi-Wei Huang
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Shi-Pai, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Ta-Chung Chao
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.,Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Shi-Pai, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Yeu Su
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Shi-Pai, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.,Program in Molecular Medicine, School of Life Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Shi-Pai, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C
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28
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Seitz C, Huang J, Geiselhöringer AL, Galbani-Bianchi P, Michalek S, Phan TS, Reinhold C, Dietrich L, Schmidt C, Corazza N, Delgado ME, Schnalzger T, Schoonjans K, Brunner T. The orphan nuclear receptor LRH-1/NR5a2 critically regulates T cell functions. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaav9732. [PMID: 31328159 PMCID: PMC6636985 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav9732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
LRH-1 (liver receptor homolog-1/NR5a2) is an orphan nuclear receptor, which regulates glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as intestinal inflammation via the transcriptional control of intestinal glucocorticoid synthesis. Predominantly expressed in epithelial cells, its expression and role in immune cells are presently enigmatic. LRH-1 was found to be induced in immature and mature T lymphocytes upon stimulation. T cell-specific deletion of LRH-1 causes a drastic loss of mature peripheral T cells. LRH-1-depleted CD4+ T cells exert strongly reduced activation-induced proliferation in vitro and in vivo and fail to mount immune responses against model antigens and to induce experimental intestinal inflammation. Similarly, LRH-1-deficient cytotoxic CD8+ T cells fail to control viral infections. This study describes a novel and critical role of LRH-1 in T cell maturation, functions, and immopathologies and proposes LRH-1 as an emerging pharmacological target in the treatment of T cell-mediated inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Seitz
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Juan Huang
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Anna-Lena Geiselhöringer
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Svenja Michalek
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Truong San Phan
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Cindy Reinhold
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Lea Dietrich
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Christian Schmidt
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Nadia Corazza
- Experimental Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - M. Eugenia Delgado
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Theresa Schnalzger
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Kristina Schoonjans
- Laboratory of Metabolic Signaling, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Brunner
- Division of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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29
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Ahmed A, Schmidt C, Brunner T. Extra-Adrenal Glucocorticoid Synthesis in the Intestinal Mucosa: Between Immune Homeostasis and Immune Escape. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1438. [PMID: 31316505 PMCID: PMC6611402 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroid hormones predominantly produced in the adrenal glands in response to physiological cues and stress. Adrenal GCs mediate potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive functions. Accumulating evidence in the past two decades has demonstrated other extra-adrenal organs and tissues capable of synthesizing GCs. This review discusses the role and regulation of GC synthesis in the intestinal epithelium in the regulation of normal immune homeostasis, inflammatory diseases of the intestinal mucosa, and the development of intestinal tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Ahmed
- Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Christian Schmidt
- Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Thomas Brunner
- Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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30
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Liu Y, Xing Y, Wang H, Yan S, Wang X, Cai L. LRH1 as a promising prognostic biomarker and predictor of metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Thorac Cancer 2018; 9:1725-1732. [PMID: 30273983 PMCID: PMC6275822 DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.12887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND LRH1, which promotes the malignant transformation of carcinoma, has recently been documented in several types of malignancies. However, LRH1 has not been assessed as a potential clinical biomarker in any cancer. METHODS LRH1 expression was tested in fresh-frozen tissue samples with quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Surgically resected tumor tissues were collected from 156 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients: 75 with adenocarcinoma and 81 with squamous cell carcinoma. Subsequently, the immunohistochemical expression of LRH1 was examined, and its clinical significance was evaluated. RESULTS LRH1 overexpression was observed in NSCLC carcinoma tissues compared to adjacent normal lung tissues. LRH1 expression was correlated with poorer differentiation (P = 0.023), pathological tumor classification (P < 0.001), advanced pathological tumor node metastasis stage (P = 0.017), adenocarcinoma subtype (P = 0.031), and positive lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that LRH1 expression status was an independent prognostic factor for overall (hazard ratio 1.372, 95% confidence interval 1.225-1.617; P = 0.003) and disease-free survival (hazard ratio 1.497, 95% confidence interval 1.059-2.115; P = 0.011) in patients who suffered from resectable NSCLC. CONCLUSION The results of our study indicate that LRH1 predicts NSCLC progression, metastasis, and a dismal prognosis, emphasizing its promising role as a novel target in NSCLC therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuechao Liu
- The Fourth Department of Medical OncologyHarbin Medical University Cancer HospitalHarbinChina
| | - Ying Xing
- The Fourth Department of Medical OncologyHarbin Medical University Cancer HospitalHarbinChina
| | - Hongmei Wang
- Department of PathologyHarbin Medical University Cancer HospitalHarbinChina
| | - Shi Yan
- The Fourth Department of Medical OncologyHarbin Medical University Cancer HospitalHarbinChina
| | - Xinzhu Wang
- The Fourth Department of Medical OncologyHarbin Medical University Cancer HospitalHarbinChina
| | - Li Cai
- The Fourth Department of Medical OncologyHarbin Medical University Cancer HospitalHarbinChina
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31
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Réau M, Lagarde N, Zagury JF, Montes M. Nuclear Receptors Database Including Negative Data (NR-DBIND): A Database Dedicated to Nuclear Receptors Binding Data Including Negative Data and Pharmacological Profile. J Med Chem 2018; 62:2894-2904. [PMID: 30354114 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) are transcription factors that regulate gene expression in various physiological processes through their interactions with small hydrophobic molecules. They constitute an important class of targets for drugs and endocrine disruptors and are widely studied for both health and environment concerns. Since the integration of negative data can be critical for accurate modeling of ligand activity profiles, we manually collected and annotated NRs interaction data (positive and negative) through a sharp review of the corresponding literature. 15 116 positive and negative interactions data are provided for 28 NRs together with 593 PDB structures in the freely available Nuclear Receptors Database Including Negative Data ( http://nr-dbind.drugdesign.fr ). The NR-DBIND contains the most extensive information about interaction data on NRs, which should bring valuable information to chemists, biologists, pharmacologists and toxicologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Réau
- Laboratoire GBA, EA4627 , Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers , 2 Rue Conté , 75003 Paris , France
| | - Nathalie Lagarde
- Laboratoire GBA, EA4627 , Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers , 2 Rue Conté , 75003 Paris , France.,Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Molécules Thérapeutiques in Silico, INSERM UMR-S 973, 75205 Paris , France
| | - Jean-François Zagury
- Laboratoire GBA, EA4627 , Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers , 2 Rue Conté , 75003 Paris , France
| | - Matthieu Montes
- Laboratoire GBA, EA4627 , Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers , 2 Rue Conté , 75003 Paris , France
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32
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Jin J, Jin J, Woodfield SE, Patel RH, Jin NG, Shi Y, Liu B, Sun W, Chen X, Yu Y, Vasudevan SA. Targeting LRH‑1 in hepatoblastoma cell lines causes decreased proliferation. Oncol Rep 2018; 41:143-153. [PMID: 30320362 PMCID: PMC6278492 DOI: 10.3892/or.2018.6793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma is the most common malignant liver tumor in children. Since it is often unresectable and exhibits drug resistance, the treatment of advanced hepatoblastoma is challenging. The orphan nuclear receptor liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) serves prominent roles in malignancy; however, to the best of our knowledge, the role of LRH-1 in hepatoblastoma remains unknown. In the present study, human hepatoblastoma cell lines were analyzed; the mRNA and protein expression levels of LRH-1 were significantly higher in HepG2 and HuH6 cells compared with those in HepT1 cells and control THLE-2 cells. Knockdown of LRH-1 resulted in decreased HepG2 and HuH6 cell proliferation via downregulation of cyclin D1 (CCND1) and c-Myc. Furthermore, treatment with an LRH-1 antagonist (LRA) inhibited the proliferation and colony formation of cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, and induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase through inhibition of CCND1 expression. Finally, LRA treatment enhanced the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin on hepatoblastoma cells. Collectively, these findings suggested that LRH-1 may have an important role in the progression of hepatoblastoma and implicated LRA as a novel, potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of hepatoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingling Jin
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey, Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Junliang Jin
- Carnegie Vanguard High School, Houston, TX 77019, USA
| | - Sarah E Woodfield
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey, Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Roma H Patel
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey, Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nan Ge Jin
- Ruiz Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yan Shi
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey, Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Pediatrics‑Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Wenjing Sun
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey, Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiangmei Chen
- Department of Microbiology & Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Science, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, P.R. China
| | - Yang Yu
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey, Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sanjeev A Vasudevan
- Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Michael E. DeBakey, Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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33
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Flynn AR, Mays SG, Ortlund EA, Jui NT. Development of Hybrid Phospholipid Mimics as Effective Agonists for Liver Receptor Homologue-1. ACS Med Chem Lett 2018; 9:1051-1056. [PMID: 30344916 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.8b00361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The orphan nuclear receptor Liver Receptor Homologue-1 (LRH-1) is an emerging drug target for metabolic disorders. The most effective known LRH-1 modulators are phospholipids or synthetic hexahydropentalene compounds. While both classes have micromolar efficacy, they target different portions of the ligand binding pocket and activate LRH-1 through different mechanisms. Guided by crystallographic data, we combined aspects of both ligand classes into a single scaffold, resulting in the most potent and efficacious LRH-1 agonists to date.
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34
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Huang J, Jia R, Brunner T. Local synthesis of immunosuppressive glucocorticoids in the intestinal epithelium regulates anti-viral immune responses. Cell Immunol 2018; 334:1-10. [PMID: 30144940 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The nuclear receptor Small Heterodimer Partner (SHP) is a transcriptional target and inhibitor of Liver Receptor Homolog 1 (LRH-1), the transcriptional regulator of intestinal glucocorticoid (GC) synthesis. The role of SHP in the regulation of intestinal GC synthesis and its impact on T cell-mediated anti-viral immune responses in the intestinal mucosa are currently not understood. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection promoted intestinal GC synthesis, which was enhanced in SHP-deficient mice. Intestinal GC suppressed the expansion and altered the activation of virus-specific T cells. In contrast, deletion of LRH-1 reduced intestinal GC synthesis and accelerated the expansion of cytotoxic T cells post LCMV infection. These findings show that virus-induced intestinal GC synthesis is controlled by LRH-1 and SHP, and that local steroidogenesis contributes to the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis. Thus, LRH-1-regulated intestinal GC synthesis could represent an interesting therapeutic target in the treatment of inflammatory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Huang
- Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany; Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, China
| | - Renyong Jia
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, China
| | - Thomas Brunner
- Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany.
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Yu F, Zhang T, Guo L, Wu B. Liver Receptor Homolog-1 Regulates Organic Anion Transporter 2 and Docetaxel Pharmacokinetics. Drug Metab Dispos 2018; 46:980-988. [PMID: 29669824 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.118.080895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Organic anion transporter 2 (OAT2/SLC22A7) is an uptake transporter that plays an important role in drug disposition. Here, we investigate a potential role of liver receptor homolog-1 (Lrh-1) in regulation of Oat2 and docetaxel pharmacokinetics. Hepatoma cells (Hepa1-6 and HepG2 cells) were transfected with Lrh-1/LRH-1 expression vector or siRNA. The relative mRNA and protein levels of Oat2/OAT2 in the cells or livers of Lrh-1hep-/- mice were determined by qPCR and Western blotting, respectively. Transcriptional regulation of Oat2/OAT2 by Lrh-1/LRH-1 was investigated using luciferase reporter, mobility shift, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. Pharmacokinetic studies were performed with wild-type (Lrh-1fl/fl) and Lrh-1hep-/- mice after intraperitoneal injection of docetaxel. Overexpression of Lrh-1 in Hepa1-6 cells led to significant increases in Oat2 mRNA and protein. Consistently, Lrh-1 knockdown caused decreases in Oat2 mRNA and protein, as well as reduced cellular uptake of PGE2, a prototypical substrate of Oat2. Similarly, an activation effect of LRH-1 on OAT2 expression was observed in HepG2 cells. In addition, the levels of Oat2 mRNA and protein were markedly reduced in Lrh-1hep-/- mice. Lrh-1/LRH-1 induced the transcription of Oat2/OAT2 in luciferase reporter assays. Truncation analysis revealed a potential Lrh-1 response element (-716- to -702-bp) in Oat2 promoter. Direct binding of Lrh-1 to this response element was confirmed by mobility shift and ChIP assays. Furthermore, systemic exposure of docetaxel was upregulated in Lrh-1hep-/- mice due to reduced hepatic uptake. In conclusion, Lrh-1 transcriptionally regulates Oat2, thereby impacting tissue uptake and pharmacokinetics of Oat2 substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangjun Yu
- Research Center for Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, College of Pharmacy (F.Y., T.Z., L.G., B.W.) and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research (F.Y., B.W.), Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tianpeng Zhang
- Research Center for Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, College of Pharmacy (F.Y., T.Z., L.G., B.W.) and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research (F.Y., B.W.), Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lianxia Guo
- Research Center for Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, College of Pharmacy (F.Y., T.Z., L.G., B.W.) and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research (F.Y., B.W.), Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Baojian Wu
- Research Center for Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, College of Pharmacy (F.Y., T.Z., L.G., B.W.) and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of Traditional Chinese Medicine and New Drugs Research (F.Y., B.W.), Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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Qu R, Hao S, Jin X, Shi G, Yu Q, Tong X, Guo D. MicroRNA-374b reduces the proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells by regulation of LRH-1/Wnt signaling. Gene 2017; 642:354-361. [PMID: 29128635 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 10/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Deregulation of microRNA (miRNA) has been suggested as a critical event in colon cancer development and progression. Recent studies have suggested that miR-374b is a novel cancer-related miRNA involved in several cancer types. Thus far, very little is known about the role of miR-374b in colon cancer; therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate the potential role of miR-374b in colon cancer. Here, we showed that miR-374b expression was significantly downregulated in colon cancer tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-374b inhibited the proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells, while miR-374b suppression promoted colon cancer cell proliferation and invasion. Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) was identified as a target of miR-374b in colon cancer cells. Both the mRNA and protein expression of LRH-1 were regulated by miR-374b. In addition, an inverse correlation between LRH-1 mRNA and miR-374b expression was evidenced in colon cancer specimens. Notably, overexpression of miR-374b also downregulated the Wnt signaling in colon cancer cells. Furthermore, restoration of LRH-1 expression significantly abolished the antitumor effect of miR-374b in colon cancer cells. These findings suggest that miR-374b inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation and invasion through downregulation of LRH-1 expression. Inhibiting LRH-1 by miR-374b may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongfeng Qu
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Shuhong Hao
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Xianmei Jin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
| | - Guang Shi
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Qiong Yu
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Xianshuang Tong
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China
| | - Dongrui Guo
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130022, China.
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LRH-1 expression patterns in breast cancer tissues are associated with tumour aggressiveness. Oncotarget 2017; 8:83626-83636. [PMID: 29137369 PMCID: PMC5663541 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.18886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The significance and regulation of liver receptor homologue 1 (LRH-1, NR5A2), a tumour-promoting transcription factor in breast cancer cell lines, is unknown in clinical breast cancers. This study aims to determine LRH-1/NR5A2 expression in breast cancers and relationship with DNA methylation and tumour characteristics. In The Cancer Genome Atlas breast cancer cohort NR5A2 expression was positively associated with intragenic CpG island methylation (1.4-fold expression for fully methylated versus not fully methylated, p=0.01) and inversely associated with promoter CpG island methylation (0.6-fold expression for fully methylated versus not fully methylated, p=0.036). LRH-1 immunohistochemistry of 329 invasive carcinomas and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was performed. Densely punctate/coarsely granular nuclear reactivity was significantly associated with high tumour grade (p<0.005, p=0.033 in invasive carcinomas and DCIS respectively), negative estrogen receptor status (p=0.008, p=0.038 in overall cohort and invasive carcinomas, respectively), negative progesterone receptor status (p=0.003, p=0.013 in overall cohort and invasive carcinomas, respectively), HER2 amplification (overall cohort p=0.034) and non-luminal intrinsic subtype (p=0.018, p=0.038 in overall cohort and invasive carcinomas, respectively). These significant associations of LRH-1 protein expression with tumour phenotype suggest that LRH-1 is an important indicator of tumour biology in breast cancers and may be useful in risk stratification.
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Yuan Q, Cao G, Li J, Zhang Y, Yang W. MicroRNA-136 inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation and invasion through targeting liver receptor homolog-1/Wnt signaling. Gene 2017; 628:48-55. [PMID: 28710032 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
An increasing number of studies have reported that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the malignant behavior of colon cancer cells through directly targeting multiple tumor suppressors or oncogenes. The expression and role of miR-136 has been reported in several types of human cancer. However, the role of miR-136 in colon cancer remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression and function of miR-136 in colon cancer and the potential underlying mechanism. Here, we found that miR-136 was decreased in colon cancer cell lines and tissues. Overexpression of miR-136 inhibited the proliferation and invasion in SW480 and HCT116 cell lines while suppression of miR-136 exhibited the opposite effect. Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) was identified as a direct target gene of miR-136. Notably, miR-136 overexpression suppressed LRH-1 expression as well as Wnt signaling in SW480 and HCT116 cell lines. The miR-136 expression level inversely correlated with LRH-1 mRNA expression in colon cancer specimens. Moreover, overexpression of LRH-1 partially reversed the miR-136-induced antitumor effect in SW480 and HCT116 cell lines. Taken together, these findings suggest that miR-136 functions as a negative regulator in colon cancer progression by targeting LRH-1 and that miR-136 downregulation contributes to high expression of LRH-1 and aberrant activation of Wnt signaling, leaving open the possibility that miR-136 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinggong Yuan
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China
| | - Gang Cao
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China
| | - Junhui Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China
| | - Wenbin Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China.
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Zhai G, Song J, Shu T, Yan J, Jin X, He J, Yin Z. LRH-1 senses signaling from phosphatidylcholine to regulate the expansion growth of digestive organs via synergy with Wnt/β-catenin signaling in zebrafish. J Genet Genomics 2017. [PMID: 28642062 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2017.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) is an orphan nuclear receptor that is critical for the growth and proliferation of cancer cells and other biological processes, including lipid transportation and metabolism, sexual determination and steroidogenesis. However, because homozygous lrh-1-/- mice die in utero, the regulatory mechanisms involved in embryonic development mediated by this receptor are poorly understood. In the present study, we performed transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN)-mediated loss-of-function assays, taking advantage of zebrafish external fertilization, to investigate the function of lrh-1. The digestive organs were affected by lrh-1 depletion as a result of cell-cycle arrest (at the checkpoint of G1 to S phase), but not cell apoptosis. Biochemical analysis revealed that LRH-1 augments the transcriptional activity of β-catenin 1 and 2 via physical interactions. Screening the specific ligand(s) sensed by LRH-1 during organogenesis revealed that phosphatidylcholine (PC), a potential ligand, is the upstream target of LRH-1 during endoderm development. These data provide evidence for the crosstalk between the PC/LRH-1 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways during the expansion growth of endoderm organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jia Song
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tingting Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Junjun Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xia Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jiangyan He
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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40
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Fletterick R. NR5A2 discovering compounds that block tumor growth in PDAC. J Surg Oncol 2017; 116:89-93. [PMID: 28445593 DOI: 10.1002/jso.24639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancers depend on driver molecules, oncogene proteins such as RAS. NR5A2 protein is a transcription factor and either activates or inhibits transcription through actions at hundreds of enhancers. It has unusual properties with effects appearing in multiple signaling networks. NR5A2 is a pluripotency reprogramming factor in the class nuclear receptor. Its controlling hormone is PIP3. Experiments suggest NR5A2 activation drives PDAC and inhibitors blunt cancer cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Fletterick
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, California
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41
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Liver receptor homolog-1 (NR5a2) regulates CD95/Fas ligand transcription and associated T-cell effector functions. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8:e2745. [PMID: 28406481 PMCID: PMC5477591 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2017.173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
CD95/Fas ligand (FasL) is a cell death-promoting member of the tumor necrosis factor family with important functions in the regulation of T-cell homeostasis and cytotoxicity. In T cells, FasL expression is tightly regulated on a transcriptional level involving a complex set of different transcription factors. The orphan nuclear receptor liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1/NR5a2) is involved in the regulation of development, lipid metabolism and proliferation and is predominantly expressed in epithelial tissues. However, its expression in T lymphocytes has never been reported so far. Based on in silico analysis, we identified potential LRH-1 binding sites within the FASLG promoter. Here, we report that LRH-1 is expressed in primary and secondary lymphatic tissues, as well as in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. LRH-1 directly binds to its binding sites in the FASLG promoter, and thereby drives FASLG promoter activity. Mutations in the LRH-1 binding sites reduce FASLG promoter activity. Pharmacological inhibition of LRH-1 decreases activation-induced FasL mRNA expression, as well as FasL-mediated activation-induced T-cell apoptosis and T-cell cytotoxicity. In a mouse model of Concanavalin A-induced and FasL-mediated hepatitis pharmacological inhibition of LRH-1 resulted in decreased hepatic FasL expression and a significant reduction of liver damage. In summary, these data show for the first time LRH-1 expression in T cells, its role in FASLG transcription and the potential of pharmacological inhibition of LRH-1 in the treatment of FasL-mediated immunopathologies.
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42
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Skariyachan S. Exploring the Potential of Herbal Ligands Toward Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Pathogens by Computational Drug Discovery. TRANSLATIONAL BIOINFORMATICS AND ITS APPLICATION 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-024-1045-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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43
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Li C, Dong J, Han Z, Zhang K. MicroRNA-219-5p Represses the Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells by Targeting the LRH-1/Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway. Oncol Res 2016; 25:617-627. [PMID: 27983934 PMCID: PMC7841075 DOI: 10.3727/096504016x14768374457986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are reportedly involved in gastric cancer development and progression. In particular, miR-219-5p has been reported to be a tumor-associated miRNA in human cancer. However, the role of miR-219-5p in gastric cancer remains unclear. In this study, we investigated for the first time the potential role and underlying mechanism of miR-219-5p in the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human gastric cancer cells. miR-219-5p was found to be markedly decreased in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines compared with adjacent tissues and normal gastric epithelial cells. miR-219-5p mimics or anti-miR-219-5p was transfected into gastric cancer cell lines to overexpress or suppress miR-219-5p expression, respectively. Results showed that miR-219-5p overexpression significantly decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Conversely, miR-219-5p suppression demonstrated a completely opposite effect. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporter assays indicated that miR-219-5p targeted the 3′-untranslated region of the liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1), a well-characterized oncogene. Furthermore, miR-219-5p inhibited the mRNA and protein levels of LRH-1. LRH-1 mRNA expression was inversely correlated with miR-219-5p expression in gastric cancer tissues. miR-219-5p overexpression significantly decreased the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in gastric cancer cells. Additionally, LRH-1 restoration can markedly reverse miR-219-5p-mediated tumor suppressive effects. Our study suggests that miR-219-5p regulated the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human gastric cancer cells by suppressing LRH-1. miR-219-5p may be a potential target for gastric cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunsheng Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal and Anal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Jingrong Dong
- Endoscopic Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Zhenqi Han
- Endoscopic Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, P.R. China
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44
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Mays SG, Okafor CD, Whitby RJ, Goswami D, Stec J, Flynn AR, Dugan MC, Jui NT, Griffin PR, Ortlund EA. Crystal Structures of the Nuclear Receptor, Liver Receptor Homolog 1, Bound to Synthetic Agonists. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:25281-25291. [PMID: 27694446 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.753541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Revised: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver receptor homolog 1 (NR5A2, LRH-1) is an orphan nuclear hormone receptor that regulates diverse biological processes, including metabolism, proliferation, and the resolution of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Although preclinical and cellular studies demonstrate that LRH-1 has great potential as a therapeutic target for metabolic diseases and cancer, development of LRH-1 modulators has been difficult. Recently, systematic modifications to one of the few known chemical scaffolds capable of activating LRH-1 failed to improve efficacy substantially. Moreover, mechanisms through which LRH-1 is activated by synthetic ligands are entirely unknown. Here, we use x-ray crystallography and other structural methods to explore conformational changes and receptor-ligand interactions associated with LRH-1 activation by a set of related agonists. Unlike phospholipid LRH-1 ligands, these agonists bind deep in the pocket and do not interact with residues near the mouth nor do they expand the pocket like phospholipids. Unexpectedly, two closely related agonists with similar efficacies (GSK8470 and RJW100) exhibit completely different binding modes. The dramatic repositioning is influenced by a differential ability to establish stable face-to-face π-π-stacking with the LRH-1 residue His-390, as well as by a novel polar interaction mediated by the RJW100 hydroxyl group. The differing binding modes result in distinct mechanisms of action for the two agonists. Finally, we identify a network of conserved water molecules near the ligand-binding site that are important for activation by both agonists. This work reveals a previously unappreciated complexity associated with LRH-1 agonist development and offers insights into rational design strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne G Mays
- From the Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, and
| | - C Denise Okafor
- From the Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, and
| | - Richard J Whitby
- the School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hants SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom, and
| | | | - Józef Stec
- the School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hants SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom, and
| | - Autumn R Flynn
- the Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322
| | - Michael C Dugan
- the Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322
| | - Nathan T Jui
- the Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322
| | | | - Eric A Ortlund
- From the Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, and
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45
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Duggan SP, Behan FM, Kirca M, Zaheer A, McGarrigle SA, Reynolds JV, Vaz GMF, Senge MO, Kelleher D. The characterization of an intestine-like genomic signature maintained during Barrett's-associated adenocarcinogenesis reveals an NR5A2-mediated promotion of cancer cell survival. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32638. [PMID: 27586588 PMCID: PMC5009315 DOI: 10.1038/srep32638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Barrett’s oesophagus (BO), an intestinal-type metaplasia (IM), typically arising in conjunction with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, is a prominent risk factor for the development of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC). The molecular similarities between IM and normal intestinal tissues are ill-defined. Consequently, the contribution of intestine-enriched factors expressed within BO to oncogenesis is unclear. Herein, using transcriptomics we define the intestine-enriched genes expressed in meta-profiles of BO and OAC. Interestingly, 77% of the genes differentially expressed in a meta-profile of BO were similarly expressed in intestinal tissues. Furthermore, 85% of this intestine-like signature was maintained upon transition to OAC. Gene networking analysis of transcription factors within this signature revealed a network centred upon NR5A2, GATA6 and FOXA2, whose over-expression was determined in a cohort of BO and OAC patients. Simulated acid reflux was observed to induce the expression of both NR5A2 and GATA6. Using siRNA-mediated silencing and an NR5A2 antagonist we demonstrate that NR5A2-mediated cancer cell survival is facilitated through augmentation of GATA6 and anti-apoptotic factor BCL-XL levels. Abrogation of NR5A2-GATA6 expression in conjunction with BCL-XL co-silencing resulted in synergistically increased sensitivity to chemotherapeutics and photo-dynamic therapeutics. These findings characterize the intestine-like signature associated with IM which may have important consequences to adenocarcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane P Duggan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Life Science Institute, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Fiona M Behan
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, St James' Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Murat Kirca
- Department of Gastroenterology, St James' Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Abdul Zaheer
- Department of Gastroenterology, St James' Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sarah A McGarrigle
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, St James' Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - John V Reynolds
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, St James' Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Gisela M F Vaz
- Medicinal Chemistry, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, St James' Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Mathias O Senge
- Medicinal Chemistry, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, St James' Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Dermot Kelleher
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Life Science Institute, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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46
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Nuclear receptor NR5A2 is involved in the calreticulin gene regulation during renal fibrosis. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2016; 1862:1774-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2016.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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47
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Wu D, Cheung A, Wang Y, Yu S, Chan FL. The emerging roles of orphan nuclear receptors in prostate cancer. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2016; 1866:23-36. [PMID: 27264242 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Orphan nuclear receptors are members of the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily and are so named because their endogenous physiological ligands are either unknown or may not exist. Because of their important regulatory roles in many key physiological processes, dysregulation of signalings controlled by these receptors is associated with many diseases including cancer. Over years, studies of orphan NRs have become an area of great interest because their specific physiological and pathological roles have not been well-defined, and some of them are promising drug targets for diseases. The recently identified synthetic small molecule ligands, acting as agonists or antagonists, to these orphan NRs not only help to understand better their functional roles but also highlight that the signalings mediated by these ligand-independent NRs in diseases could be therapeutically intervened. This review is a summary of the recent advances in elucidating the emerging functional roles of orphan NRs in cancers, especially prostate cancer. In particular, some orphan NRs, RORγ, TR2, TR4, COUP-IFII, ERRα, DAX1 and SHP, exhibit crosstalk or interference with androgen receptor (AR) signaling in either normal or malignant prostatic cells, highlighting their involvement in prostate cancer progression as androgen and AR signaling pathway play critical roles in this process. We also propose that a better understanding of the mechanism of actions of these orphan NRs in prostate gland or prostate cancer could help to evaluate their potential value as therapeutic targets for prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinglan Wu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alyson Cheung
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuliang Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shan Yu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Franky L Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
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de Jesus Cortez F, Suzawa M, Irvy S, Bruning JM, Sablin E, Jacobson MP, Fletterick RJ, Ingraham HA, England PM. Disulfide-Trapping Identifies a New, Effective Chemical Probe for Activating the Nuclear Receptor Human LRH-1 (NR5A2). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0159316. [PMID: 27467220 PMCID: PMC4965143 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional efforts relying on high-throughput physical and virtual screening of large compound libraries have failed to yield high-efficiency chemical probes for many of the 48 human nuclear receptors. Here, we investigated whether disulfide-trapping, an approach new to nuclear receptors, would provide effective lead compounds targeting human liver receptor homolog 1 (hLRH-1, NR5A2). Despite the fact that hLRH-1 contains a large ligand binding pocket and binds phospholipids with high affinity, existing synthetic hLRH-1 ligands are of limited utility due to poor solubility, low efficacy or significant off-target effects. Using disulfide-trapping, we identified a lead compound that conjugates with remarkably high-efficiency to a native cysteine residue (Cys346) lining the hydrophobic cavity in the ligand binding domain of hLRH-1. Guided by computational modeling and cellular assays, the lead compound was elaborated into ligands PME8 and PME9 that bind hLRH-1 reversibly (no cysteine reactivity) and increase hLRH-1 activity in cells. When compared with the existing hLRH-1 synthetic agonist RJW100, both PME8 and PME9 showed comparable induction of the LRH-1 dependent target gene CYP24A1 in human HepG2 cells, beginning as early as 3 h after drug treatment. The induction is specific as siRNA-mediated knock-down of hLRH-1 renders both PME8 and PME9 ineffective. These data show that PME8 and PME9 are potent activators of hLRH-1 and suggest that with further development this lead series may yield useful chemical probes for manipulating LRH-1 activity in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe de Jesus Cortez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
| | - Miyuki Suzawa
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
| | - Sam Irvy
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
| | - John M. Bruning
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
| | - Elena Sablin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
| | - Matthew P. Jacobson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Fletterick
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
| | - Holly A. Ingraham
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
- * E-mail: (HAI); (PME)
| | - Pamela M. England
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States of America
- * E-mail: (HAI); (PME)
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Nissim S, Weeks O, Talbot JC, Hedgepeth JW, Wucherpfennig J, Schatzman-Bone S, Swinburne I, Cortes M, Alexa K, Megason S, North TE, Amacher SL, Goessling W. Iterative use of nuclear receptor Nr5a2 regulates multiple stages of liver and pancreas development. Dev Biol 2016; 418:108-123. [PMID: 27474396 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The stepwise progression of common endoderm progenitors into differentiated liver and pancreas organs is regulated by a dynamic array of signals that are not well understood. The nuclear receptor subfamily 5, group A, member 2 gene nr5a2, also known as Liver receptor homolog-1 (Lrh-1) is expressed in several tissues including the developing liver and pancreas. Here, we interrogate the role of Nr5a2 at multiple developmental stages using genetic and chemical approaches and uncover novel pleiotropic requirements during zebrafish liver and pancreas development. Zygotic loss of nr5a2 in a targeted genetic null mutant disrupted the development of the exocrine pancreas and liver, while leaving the endocrine pancreas intact. Loss of nr5a2 abrogated exocrine pancreas markers such as trypsin, while pancreas progenitors marked by ptf1a or pdx1 remained unaffected, suggesting a role for Nr5a2 in regulating pancreatic acinar cell differentiation. In the developing liver, Nr5a2 regulates hepatic progenitor outgrowth and differentiation, as nr5a2 mutants exhibited reduced hepatoblast markers hnf4α and prox1 as well as differentiated hepatocyte marker fabp10a. Through the first in vivo use of Nr5a2 chemical antagonist Cpd3, the iterative requirement for Nr5a2 for exocrine pancreas and liver differentiation was temporally elucidated: chemical inhibition of Nr5a2 function during hepatopancreas progenitor specification was sufficient to disrupt exocrine pancreas formation and enhance the size of the embryonic liver, suggesting that Nr5a2 regulates hepatic vs. pancreatic progenitor fate choice. Chemical inhibition of Nr5a2 at a later time during pancreas and liver differentiation was sufficient to block the formation of mature acinar cells and hepatocytes. These findings define critical iterative and pleiotropic roles for Nr5a2 at distinct stages of pancreas and liver organogenesis, and provide novel perspectives for interpreting the role of Nr5a2 in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Nissim
- Gastroenterology Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Olivia Weeks
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jared C Talbot
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - John W Hedgepeth
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Julia Wucherpfennig
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Ian Swinburne
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mauricio Cortes
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kristen Alexa
- Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sean Megason
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Trista E North
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Sharon L Amacher
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Wolfram Goessling
- Gastroenterology Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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50
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Nuclear receptor NR5A2 controls neural stem cell fate decisions during development. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12230. [PMID: 27447294 PMCID: PMC4961839 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The enormous complexity of mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is generated by highly synchronized actions of diverse factors and signalling molecules in neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs). However, the molecular mechanisms that integrate extrinsic and intrinsic signals to control proliferation versus differentiation decisions of NSCs are not well-understood. Here we identify nuclear receptor NR5A2 as a central node in these regulatory networks and key player in neural development. Overexpression and loss-of-function experiments in primary NSCs and mouse embryos suggest that NR5A2 synchronizes cell-cycle exit with induction of neurogenesis and inhibition of astrogliogenesis by direct regulatory effects on Ink4/Arf locus, Prox1, a downstream target of proneural genes, as well as Notch1 and JAK/STAT signalling pathways. Upstream of NR5a2, proneural genes, as well as Notch1 and JAK/STAT pathways control NR5a2 endogenous expression. Collectively, these observations render NR5A2 a critical regulator of neural development and target gene for NSC-based treatments of CNS-related diseases. The molecular signals regulating the decision of neural stem cells (NSC) to proliferate versus differentiate are unclear. Here, the authors identify the nuclear receptor NR5A2 as coordinating cell-cycle exit with differentiation of NSCs via direct actions on Ink4, Prox1, Notch1 and JAK/STAT.
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