1
|
Tanwar M, Singh A, Singh TP, Sharma S, Sharma P. Comprehensive Review on the Virulence Factors and Therapeutic Strategies with the Aid of Artificial Intelligence against Mucormycosis. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:1431-1457. [PMID: 38682683 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00082] [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] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Mucormycosis, a rare but deadly fungal infection, was an epidemic during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise in cases (COVID-19-associated mucormycosis, CAM) is attributed to excessive steroid and antibiotic use, poor hospital hygiene, and crowded settings. Major contributing factors include diabetes and weakened immune systems. The main manifesting forms of CAM─cutaneous, pulmonary, and the deadliest, rhinocerebral─and disseminated infections elevated mortality rates to 85%. Recent focus lies on small-molecule inhibitors due to their advantages over standard treatments like surgery and liposomal amphotericin B (which carry several long-term adverse effects), offering potential central nervous system penetration, diverse targets, and simpler dosing owing to their small size, rendering the ability to traverse the blood-brain barrier via passive diffusion facilitated by the phospholipid membrane. Adaptation and versatility in mucormycosis are facilitated by a multitude of virulence factors, enabling the pathogen to dynamically respond to various environmental stressors. A comprehensive understanding of these virulence mechanisms is imperative for devising effective therapeutic interventions against this highly opportunistic pathogen that thrives in immunocompromised individuals through its angio-invasive nature. Hence, this Review delineates the principal virulence factors of mucormycosis, the mechanisms it employs to persist in challenging host environments, and the current progress in developing small-molecule inhibitors against them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mansi Tanwar
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, India
| | - Anamika Singh
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, India
| | - Tej Pal Singh
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, India
| | - Sujata Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, India
| | - Pradeep Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, India
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Santana NCM, de Sena ACVP, Rocha PADS, de Arruda JAA, Torres-Pereira CC, Abreu LG, Fournier BPJ, Warnakulasuriya S, Silva TA. Oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders in patients with Fanconi anemia - A systematic review. Oral Oncol 2024; 150:106699. [PMID: 38309198 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.106699] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to perform a systematic review focusing on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) in Fanconi anemia (FA) individuals. Electronic searches were undertaken in five databases supplemented by manual scrutiny and gray literature. Case reports and/or cases series were included. The searches yielded 55 studies describing 112 cases of OSCC (n = 107) and/or OPMD (n = 5) in FA individuals. The mean age at diagnosis of OSCC/OPMD was 27.1 (±9.6) years, and females (51.8 %) were slightly more affected. Ulcer (n = 37) or mass (n = 25) were described as clinical presentations for OSCC and OPMD. White lesions (n = 4) were the most common manifestation in OPMD. Tongue (47.2 %) was the most frequent location. Sixty-one (54.5 %) individuals underwent HSCT. Surgical resection (n = 75) was the main treatment adopted. The estimated rate of OPMD malignant transformation was 1.8 % and recurrences following OSCC excision occurred in 26.8 % of individuals. Overall, at 60 months of follow-up, the probability of survival fell to 25.5 % and at 64 months the probability of recurrence increased to 63.2 %. The present data support the need for strict surveillance of patients with FA, even in the absence of OPMD, for early OSCC detection and reduction of mortality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nayara Conceição Marcos Santana
- Department of Oral Surgery, Pathology and Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | | | - Paula Alves da Silva Rocha
- Department of Oral Surgery, Pathology and Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - José Alcides Almeida de Arruda
- Department of Oral Diagnosis and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Cassius Carvalho Torres-Pereira
- Department of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil; Multiprofessional Residency Program in Oncology and Hematology, Complexo Hospital de Clínicas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Lucas Guimarães Abreu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - Benjamin P J Fournier
- Department of Oral Biology, Université de Paris, Dental Faculty, France; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Laboratory of Molecular Oral Pathophysiology, France; AP-HP, Reference Center for Dental Rare Diseases, Rothschild Hospital (ORARES), Paris, France.
| | - Saman Warnakulasuriya
- Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, UK; WHO Collaborating Centre for Oral Cancer, London, UK.
| | - Tarcília Aparecida Silva
- Department of Oral Surgery, Pathology and Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Department of Oral Biology, Université de Paris, Dental Faculty, France; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Laboratory of Molecular Oral Pathophysiology, France.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Knodel F, Pinter S, Kroll C, Rathert P. Fluorescent Reporter Systems to Investigate Chromatin Effector Proteins in Living Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2842:225-252. [PMID: 39012599 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4051-7_12] [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] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic research faces the challenge of the high complexity and tight regulation in chromatin modification networks. Although many isolated mechanisms of chromatin-mediated gene regulation have been described, solid approaches for the comprehensive analysis of specific processes as parts of the bigger epigenome network are missing. In order to expand the toolbox of methods by a system that will help to capture and describe the complexity of transcriptional regulation, we describe here a robust protocol for the generation of stable reporter systems for transcriptional activity and summarize their applications. The system allows for the induced recruitment of a chromatin regulator to a fluorescent reporter gene, followed by the detection of transcriptional changes using flow cytometry. The reporter gene is integrated into an endogenous chromatin environment, thus enabling the detection of regulatory dependencies of the investigated chromatin regulator on endogenous cofactors. The system allows for an easy and dynamic readout at the single-cell level and the ability to compensate for cell-to-cell variances of transcription. The modular design of the system enables the simple adjustment of the method for the investigation of different chromatin regulators in a broad panel of cell lines. We also summarize applications of this technology to characterize the silencing velocity of different chromatin effectors, removal of activating histone modifications, analysis of stability and reversibility of epigenome modifications, the investigation of the effects of small molecule on chromatin effectors and of functional effector-coregulator relationships. The presented method allows to investigate the complexity of transcriptional regulation by epigenetic effector proteins in living cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Knodel
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sabine Pinter
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Carolin Kroll
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Philipp Rathert
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ajoolabady A, Tang D, Kroemer G, Ren J. Ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma: mechanisms and targeted therapy. Br J Cancer 2023; 128:190-205. [PMID: 36229582 PMCID: PMC9902568 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01998-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most prevalent form of primary liver cancer with a multifactorial aetiology comprising genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors. Evading cell death is a defining hallmark of hepatocellular carcinoma, underpinning tumour growth, progression, and therapy resistance. Ferroptosis is a form of nonapoptotic cell death driven by an array of cellular events, including intracellular iron overload, free radical production, lipid peroxidation and activation of various cell death effectors, ultimately leading to rupture of the plasma membrane. Although induction of ferroptosis is an emerging strategy to suppress hepatocellular carcinoma, malignant cells manage to develop adaptive mechanisms, conferring resistance to ferroptosis and ferroptosis-inducing drugs. Herein, we aim at elucidating molecular mechanisms and signalling pathways involved in ferroptosis and offer our opinions on druggable targets and new therapeutic strategy in an attempt to restrain the growth and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through induction of ferroptotic cell death.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amir Ajoolabady
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Daolin Tang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
| | - Guido Kroemer
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
- Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
- Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.
| | - Jun Ren
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abstract
![]()
The paradigm of antivirulence
therapy dictates that bacterial pathogens
are specifically disarmed but not killed by neutralizing their virulence
factors. Clearance of the invading pathogen by the immune system is
promoted. As compared to antibiotics, the pathogen-selective antivirulence
drugs hold promise to minimize collateral damage to the beneficial
microbiome. Also, selective pressure for resistance is expected to
be lower because bacterial viability is not directly affected. Antivirulence
drugs are being developed for stand-alone prophylactic and therapeutic
treatments but also for combinatorial use with antibiotics. This Review
focuses on drug modalities that target bacterial exotoxins after the
secretion or release-upon-lysis. Exotoxins have a significant and
sometimes the primary role as the disease-causing virulence factor,
and thereby they are attractive targets for drug development. We describe
the key pre-clinical and clinical trial data that have led to the
approval of currently used exotoxin-targeted drugs, namely the monoclonal
antibodies bezlotoxumab (toxin B/TcdB, Clostridioides difficile), raxibacumab (anthrax toxin, Bacillus anthracis), and obiltoxaximab (anthrax toxin, Bacillus anthracis), but also to challenges with some of the promising leads. We also
highlight the recent developments in pre-clinical research sector
to develop exotoxin-targeted drug modalities, i.e., monoclonal antibodies,
antibody fragments, antibody mimetics, receptor analogs, neutralizing
scaffolds, dominant-negative mutants, and small molecules. We describe
how these exotoxin-targeted drug modalities work with high-resolution
structural knowledge and highlight their advantages and disadvantages
as antibiotic alternatives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moona Sakari
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Unit for Infection and Immunity, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Arttu Laisi
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Unit for Infection and Immunity, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Arto T. Pulliainen
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Unit for Infection and Immunity, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bartoschik T, Zoephel A, Rumpel K, Ciulli A, Heffern C. MST and TRIC Technology to Reliably Study PROTAC Binary and Ternary Binding in Drug Development. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2022; 2365:115-133. [PMID: 34432241 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1665-9_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PROTACs have shown promise as a new class of therapy, with a unique mechanism of action orthogonal to traditional small molecules that are used to regulate protein activity. Their novel MOA utilizing the body's natural protein degradation machinery degrades a protein of interest rather than inhibiting its function. This strategy has several advantages over conventional small-molecule inhibitors, e.g., higher sensitivity, less off-target effects, and greater target space. However, unlocking the potential of PROTACs necessitates drug discovery techniques that can support the complexity of the novel MOA. In this chapter, we describe the application of MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST) and Temperature-Related Intensity Change (TRIC) to characterize both the binary and ternary binding of PROTACs with target proteins and ubiquitin ligases along with an efficient determination of the cooperativity of the ternary complex formation. The assay development and experimental procedure to characterize the well-described BET PROTAC MZ1 show how MST and TRIC can be applied as a fast and highly sensitive method for PROTAC discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Klaus Rumpel
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alessio Ciulli
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bonnekoh H, Vera C, Abad‐Perez A, Radetzki S, Neuenschwander M, Specker E, Mahnke NA, Frischbutter S, Latz E, Nazaré M, Kries JV, Maurer M, Scheffel J, Krause K. Topical inflammasome inhibition with disulfiram prevents irritant contact dermatitis. Clin Transl Allergy 2021; 11:e12045. [PMID: 34322217 PMCID: PMC8297992 DOI: 10.1002/clt2.12045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of contact dermatitis, a common inflammatory skin disease with limited treatment options, is held to be driven by inflammasome activation induced by allergens and irritants. We here aim to identify inflammasome-targeting treatment strategies for irritant contact dermatitis. METHODS A high content screen with 41,184 small molecules was performed using fluorescent Apoptosis associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) speck formation as a readout for inflammasome activation. Hit compounds were validated for inhibition of interleukin (IL)-1β secretion. Of these, the approved thiuramdisulfide derivative disulfiram was selected and tested in a patch test model of irritant contact dermatitis in 25 healthy volunteers. Topical application of disulfiram, mometasone or vehicle was followed by application of sodiumdodecylsulfate (SDS) for 24 h each. Eczema induction was quantified by mexameter and laser speckle imaging. Corneocyte sampling of lesional skin was performed to assess inflammasome-mediated cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. RESULTS Disulfiram induced a dose-dependent inhibition of ASC speck formation and IL-1β release in cellular assays in vitro. In vivo, treatment with disulfiram, but not with vehicle and less mometasone, inhibited SDS-induced eczema. This was demonstrated by significantly lower erythema and total perfusion values assessed by mexameter and laser speckle imaging for disulfiram compared to vehicle (p < 0.001) and/or mometasone (p < 0.001). Also, corneocyte IL-18 levels were significantly reduced after application of disulfiram compared to vehicle (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION We show that disulfiram is a dose-dependent inhibitor of inflammasome pathway activation in vitro and inhibitor of SDS-induced eczema in vivo. Topical application of disulfiram represents a potential treatment option for irritant contact dermatitis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Bonnekoh
- Dermatological Allergology, Allergie‐Centrum‐Charité, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and AllergologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Autoinflammation Reference Center Charité (ARC2)Charité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Carolina Vera
- Dermatological Allergology, Allergie‐Centrum‐Charité, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and AllergologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Autoinflammation Reference Center Charité (ARC2)Charité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Angela Abad‐Perez
- Dermatological Allergology, Allergie‐Centrum‐Charité, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and AllergologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Autoinflammation Reference Center Charité (ARC2)Charité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Silke Radetzki
- Department of Chemical BiologyLeibniz‐Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP)BerlinGermany
| | - Martin Neuenschwander
- Department of Chemical BiologyLeibniz‐Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP)BerlinGermany
| | - Edgar Specker
- Department of Chemical BiologyLeibniz‐Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP)BerlinGermany
| | - Niklas Amadeus Mahnke
- Dermatological Allergology, Allergie‐Centrum‐Charité, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and AllergologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Autoinflammation Reference Center Charité (ARC2)Charité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Stefan Frischbutter
- Dermatological Allergology, Allergie‐Centrum‐Charité, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and AllergologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Autoinflammation Reference Center Charité (ARC2)Charité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Eicke Latz
- Institute of Innate ImmunityUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
- German Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)University of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Marc Nazaré
- Department of Chemical BiologyLeibniz‐Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP)BerlinGermany
| | - Jens v. Kries
- Department of Chemical BiologyLeibniz‐Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP)BerlinGermany
| | - Marcus Maurer
- Dermatological Allergology, Allergie‐Centrum‐Charité, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and AllergologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Autoinflammation Reference Center Charité (ARC2)Charité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Jörg Scheffel
- Dermatological Allergology, Allergie‐Centrum‐Charité, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and AllergologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Autoinflammation Reference Center Charité (ARC2)Charité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Karoline Krause
- Dermatological Allergology, Allergie‐Centrum‐Charité, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and AllergologyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of HealthBerlinGermany
- Autoinflammation Reference Center Charité (ARC2)Charité – Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Vece TJ, Wambach JA, Hagood JS. Childhood rare lung disease in the 21st century: "-omics" technology advances accelerating discovery. Pediatr Pulmonol 2020; 55:1828-1837. [PMID: 32533908 PMCID: PMC8711209 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.24809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Childhood rare lung diseases comprise a large number of heterogeneous respiratory disorders that are individually rare but are collectively associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and healthcare resource utilization. Although the genetic mechanisms for several of these disorders have been elucidated, the pathogenesis mechanisms for others remain poorly understood and treatment options remain limited. Childhood rare lung diseases are enriched for genetic etiologies; identification of the disease mechanisms underlying these rare disorders can inform the biology of normal human lung development and has implications for the treatment of more common respiratory diseases in children and adults. Advances in "-omics" technology, such as genomic sequencing, clinical phenotyping, biomarker discovery, genome editing, in vitro and model organism disease modeling, single-cell analyses, cellular imaging, and high-throughput drug screening have enabled significant progress for diagnosis and treatment of rare childhood lung diseases. The most striking example of this progress has been realized for patients with cystic fibrosis for whom effective, personalized therapies based on CFTR genotype are now available. In this chapter, we focus on recent technology advances in childhood rare lung diseases, acknowledge persistent challenges, and identify promising new technologies that will impact not only biological discovery, but also improve diagnosis, therapies, and survival for children with these rare disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Vece
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Program for Rare and Interstitial Lung Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jennifer A. Wambach
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Edward Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - James S. Hagood
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Program for Rare and Interstitial Lung Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Potential Applications of NRF2 Inhibitors in Cancer Therapy. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2019; 2019:8592348. [PMID: 31097977 PMCID: PMC6487091 DOI: 10.1155/2019/8592348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 02/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The NRF2/KEAP1 pathway represents one of the most important cell defense mechanisms against exogenous or endogenous stressors. Indeed, by increasing the expression of several cytoprotective genes, the transcription factor NRF2 can shelter cells and tissues from multiple sources of damage including xenobiotic, electrophilic, metabolic, and oxidative stress. Importantly, the aberrant activation or accumulation of NRF2, a common event in many tumors, confers a selective advantage to cancer cells and is associated to malignant progression, therapy resistance, and poor prognosis. Hence, in the last years, NRF2 has emerged as a promising target in cancer treatment and many efforts have been made to identify therapeutic strategies aimed at disrupting its prooncogenic role. By summarizing the results from past and recent studies, in this review, we provide an overview concerning the NRF2/KEAP1 pathway, its biological impact in solid and hematologic malignancies, and the molecular mechanisms causing NRF2 hyperactivation in cancer cells. Finally, we also describe some of the most promising therapeutic approaches that have been successfully employed to counteract NRF2 activity in tumors, with a particular emphasis on the development of natural compounds and the adoption of drug repurposing strategies.
Collapse
|
10
|
Precision medicine review: rare driver mutations and their biophysical classification. Biophys Rev 2019; 11:5-19. [PMID: 30610579 PMCID: PMC6381362 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-018-0496-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
How can biophysical principles help precision medicine identify rare driver mutations? A major tenet of pragmatic approaches to precision oncology and pharmacology is that driver mutations are very frequent. However, frequency is a statistical attribute, not a mechanistic one. Rare mutations can also act through the same mechanism, and as we discuss below, “latent driver” mutations may also follow the same route, with “helper” mutations. Here, we review how biophysics provides mechanistic guidelines that extend precision medicine. We outline principles and strategies, especially focusing on mutations that drive cancer. Biophysics has contributed profoundly to deciphering biological processes. However, driven by data science, precision medicine has skirted some of its major tenets. Data science embodies genomics, tissue- and cell-specific expression levels, making it capable of defining genome- and systems-wide molecular disease signatures. It classifies cancer driver genes/mutations and affected pathways, and its associated protein structural data guide drug discovery. Biophysics complements data science. It considers structures and their heterogeneous ensembles, explains how mutational variants can signal through distinct pathways, and how allo-network drugs can be harnessed. Biophysics clarifies how one mutation—frequent or rare—can affect multiple phenotypic traits by populating conformations that favor interactions with other network modules. It also suggests how to identify such mutations and their signaling consequences. Biophysics offers principles and strategies that can help precision medicine push the boundaries to transform our insight into biological processes and the practice of personalized medicine. By contrast, “phenotypic drug discovery,” which capitalizes on physiological cellular conditions and first-in-class drug discovery, may not capture the proper molecular variant. This is because variants of the same protein can express more than one phenotype, and a phenotype can be encoded by several variants.
Collapse
|