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Luo J, Li Y, Zhang Y, Wu D, Ren Y, Liu J, Wang C, Zhang J. An update on small molecule compounds targeting synthetic lethality for cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 278:116804. [PMID: 39241482 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Targeting cancer-specific vulnerabilities through synthetic lethality (SL) is an emerging paradigm in precision oncology. A SL strategy based on PARP inhibitors has demonstrated clinical efficacy. Advances in DNA damage response (DDR) uncover novel SL gene pairs. Beyond BRCA-PARP, emerging SL targets like ATR, ATM, DNA-PK, CHK1, WEE1, CDK12, RAD51, and RAD52 show clinical promise. Selective and bioavailable small molecule inhibitors have been developed to induce SL, but optimization for potency, specificity, and drug-like properties remains challenging. This article illuminated recent progress in the field of medicinal chemistry centered on the rational design of agents capable of eliciting SL specifically in neoplastic cells. It is envisioned that innovative strategies harnessing SL for small molecule design may unlock novel prospects for targeted cancer therapeutics going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxiang Luo
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health and Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health and Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health and Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Defa Wu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health and Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yijiu Ren
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health and Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Chengdi Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health and Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Jifa Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Health and Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and Laboratory of Neuro-system and Multimorbidity, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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2
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Rennie ML, Gundogdu M, Arkinson C, Liness S, Frame S, Walden H. Structural and Biochemical Insights into the Mechanism of Action of the Clinical USP1 Inhibitor, KSQ-4279. J Med Chem 2024. [PMID: 39190802 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
DNA damage triggers cell signaling cascades that mediate repair. This signaling is frequently dysregulated in cancers. The proteins that mediate this signaling are potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Ubiquitin-specific protease 1 (USP1) is one such target, with small-molecule inhibitors already in clinical trials. Here, we use biochemical assays and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to study the clinical USP1 inhibitor, KSQ-4279 (RO7623066), and compare this to the well-established tool compound, ML323. We find that KSQ-4279 binds to the same cryptic site of USP1 as ML323 but disrupts the protein structure in subtly different ways. Inhibitor binding drives a substantial increase in thermal stability of USP1, which may be mediated through the inhibitors filling a hydrophobic tunnel-like pocket in USP1. Our results contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of action of USP1 inhibitors at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Luke Rennie
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K
| | - Mehmet Gundogdu
- Ubiquigent Ltd, Dundee University Incubator, James Lindsay Place, Dundee DD1 5JJ, U.K
| | - Connor Arkinson
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K
| | - Steven Liness
- Ubiquigent Ltd, Dundee University Incubator, James Lindsay Place, Dundee DD1 5JJ, U.K
| | - Sheelagh Frame
- Ubiquigent Ltd, Dundee University Incubator, James Lindsay Place, Dundee DD1 5JJ, U.K
| | - Helen Walden
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K
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3
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Previtali V, Bagnolini G, Ciamarone A, Ferrandi G, Rinaldi F, Myers SH, Roberti M, Cavalli A. New Horizons of Synthetic Lethality in Cancer: Current Development and Future Perspectives. J Med Chem 2024; 67:11488-11521. [PMID: 38955347 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, synthetic lethality has been recognized as a solid paradigm for anticancer therapies. The discovery of a growing number of synthetic lethal targets has led to a significant expansion in the use of synthetic lethality, far beyond poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors used to treat BRCA1/2-defective tumors. In particular, molecular targets within DNA damage response have provided a source of inhibitors that have rapidly reached clinical trials. This Perspective focuses on the most recent progress in synthetic lethal targets and their inhibitors, within and beyond the DNA damage response, describing their design and associated therapeutic strategies. We will conclude by discussing the current challenges and new opportunities for this promising field of research, to stimulate discussion in the medicinal chemistry community, allowing the investigation of synthetic lethality to reach its full potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Previtali
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Greta Bagnolini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Ciamarone
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Ferrandi
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Rinaldi
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Samuel Harry Myers
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Marinella Roberti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Cavalli
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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4
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Yu J, Zhao Y, Xie Y. Advances of E3 ligases in lung cancer. Biochem Biophys Rep 2024; 38:101740. [PMID: 38841185 PMCID: PMC11152895 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2024.101740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death, and the most common type of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for approximately 85 % of lung cancer diagnoses. Recent studies have revealed that ubiquitination acts as a crucial part of the development and progression of lung cancer. The E1-E2-E3 three-enzyme cascade has a core function in ubiquitination, so targeted adjustments of E3 ligases could be used in lung cancer treatment. Hence, we elucidate research advances in lung cancer-related E3 ligases by briefly describing the structure and categorization of E3 ligases. Here, we provide a detailed review of the mechanisms by which lung cancer-related E3 ligases modify substrate proteins and regulate signaling pathways to facilitate or suppress cancer progression. We hope to show a new perspective on targeted precision therapy for lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yiqi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yue Xie
- Liaoning Academy of Chinese Medicine, Liaoning University Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China
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5
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Day JL, Tirard M, Brose N. Deletion of a core APC/C component reveals APC/C function in regulating neuronal USP1 levels and morphology. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1352782. [PMID: 38932933 PMCID: PMC11199872 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1352782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The Anaphase Promoting Complex (APC/C), an E3 ubiquitin ligase, plays a key role in cell cycle control, but it is also thought to operate in postmitotic neurons. Most studies linking APC/C function to neuron biology employed perturbations of the APC/C activators, cell division cycle protein 20 (Cdc20) and Cdc20 homologue 1 (Cdh1). However, multiple lines of evidence indicate that Cdh1 and Cdc20 can function in APC/C-independent contexts, so that the effects of their perturbation cannot strictly be linked to APC/C function. Methods We therefore deleted the gene encoding Anaphase Promoting Complex 4 (APC4), a core APC/C component, in neurons cultured from conditional knockout (cKO) mice. Results Our data indicate that several previously published substrates are actually not APC/C substrates, whereas ubiquitin specific peptidase 1 (USP1) protein levels are altered in APC4 knockout (KO) neurons. We propose a model where the APC/C ubiquitylates USP1 early in development, but later ubiquitylates a substrate that directly or indirectly stabilizes USP1. We further discovered a novel role of the APC/C in regulating the number of neurites exiting somata, but we were unable to confirm prior data indicating that the APC/C regulates neurite length, neurite complexity, and synaptogenesis. Finally, we show that APC4 SUMOylation does not impact the ability of the APC/C to control the number of primary neurites or USP1 protein levels. Discussion Our data indicate that perturbation studies aimed at dissecting APC/C biology must focus on core APC/C components rather than the APC/C activators, Cdh20 and Cdh1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nils Brose
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
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6
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Foster BM, Wang Z, Schmidt CK. DoUBLing up: ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteases in genome stability. Biochem J 2024; 481:515-545. [PMID: 38572758 PMCID: PMC11088880 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Maintaining stability of the genome requires dedicated DNA repair and signalling processes that are essential for the faithful duplication and propagation of chromosomes. These DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms counteract the potentially mutagenic impact of daily genotoxic stresses from both exogenous and endogenous sources. Inherent to these DNA repair pathways is the activity of protein factors that instigate repair processes in response to DNA lesions. The regulation, coordination, and orchestration of these DDR factors is carried out, in a large part, by post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, and modification with ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs). The importance of ubiquitylation and UBLylation with SUMO in DNA repair is well established, with the modified targets and downstream signalling consequences relatively well characterised. However, the role of dedicated erasers for ubiquitin and UBLs, known as deubiquitylases (DUBs) and ubiquitin-like proteases (ULPs) respectively, in genome stability is less well established, particularly for emerging UBLs such as ISG15 and UFM1. In this review, we provide an overview of the known regulatory roles and mechanisms of DUBs and ULPs involved in genome stability pathways. Expanding our understanding of the molecular agents and mechanisms underlying the removal of ubiquitin and UBL modifications will be fundamental for progressing our knowledge of the DDR and likely provide new therapeutic avenues for relevant human diseases, such as cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Foster
- Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, 555 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, U.K
| | - Zijuan Wang
- Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, 555 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, U.K
| | - Christine K. Schmidt
- Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, 555 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, U.K
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7
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Nusawardhana A, Pale LM, Nicolae CM, Moldovan GL. USP1-dependent nucleolytic expansion of PRIMPOL-generated nascent DNA strand discontinuities during replication stress. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2340-2354. [PMID: 38180818 PMCID: PMC10954467 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA replication stress-induced fork arrest represents a significant threat to genomic integrity. One major mechanism of replication restart involves repriming downstream of the arrested fork by PRIMPOL, leaving behind a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gap. Accumulation of nascent strand ssDNA gaps has emerged as a possible determinant of the cellular hypersensitivity to genotoxic agents in certain genetic backgrounds such as BRCA deficiency, but how gaps are converted into cytotoxic structures is still unclear. Here, we investigate the processing of PRIMPOL-dependent ssDNA gaps upon replication stress induced by hydroxyurea and cisplatin. We show that gaps generated in PRIMPOL-overexpressing cells are expanded in the 3'-5' direction by the MRE11 exonuclease, and in the 5'-3' direction by the EXO1 exonuclease. This bidirectional exonucleolytic gap expansion ultimately promotes their conversion into DSBs. We moreover identify the de-ubiquitinating enzyme USP1 as a critical regulator of PRIMPOL-generated ssDNA gaps. USP1 promotes gap accumulation during S-phase, and their expansion by the MRE11 and EXO1 nucleases. This activity of USP1 is linked to its role in de-ubiquitinating PCNA, suggesting that PCNA ubiquitination prevents gap accumulation during replication. Finally, we show that USP1 depletion suppresses DSB formation in PRIMPOL-overexpressing cells, highlighting an unexpected role for USP1 in promoting genomic instability under these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Nusawardhana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Lindsey M Pale
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Claudia M Nicolae
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - George-Lucian Moldovan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
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8
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Xue Y, Xue C, Song W. Emerging roles of deubiquitinating enzymes in actin cytoskeleton and tumor metastasis. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024:10.1007/s13402-024-00923-z. [PMID: 38324230 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-024-00923-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metastasis accounts for the majority of cancer-related deaths. Actin dynamics and actin-based cell migration and invasion are important factors in cancer metastasis. Metastasis is characterized by actin polymerization and depolymerization, which are precisely regulated by molecular changes involving a plethora of actin regulators, including actin-binding proteins (ABPs) and signalling pathways, that enable cancer cell dissemination from the primary tumour. Research on deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) has revealed their vital roles in actin dynamics and actin-based migration and invasion during cancer metastasis. CONCLUSION Here, we review how DUBs drive tumour metastasis by participating in actin rearrangement and actin-based migration and invasion. We summarize the well-characterized and essential actin cytoskeleton signalling molecules related to DUBs, including Rho GTPases, Src kinases, and ABPs such as cofilin and cortactin. Other DUBs that modulate actin-based migration signalling pathways are also discussed. Finally, we discuss and address therapeutic opportunities and ongoing challenges related to DUBs with respect to actin dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xue
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, PR China.
| | - Cong Xue
- School of Stomatology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong, 250117, PR China
| | - Wei Song
- Department of Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, PR China.
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Crawford J, Chikina M, Greene CS. Optimizer's dilemma: optimization strongly influences model selection in transcriptomic prediction. BIOINFORMATICS ADVANCES 2024; 4:vbae004. [PMID: 38282973 PMCID: PMC10822580 DOI: 10.1093/bioadv/vbae004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Motivation Most models can be fit to data using various optimization approaches. While model choice is frequently reported in machine-learning-based research, optimizers are not often noted. We applied two different implementations of LASSO logistic regression implemented in Python's scikit-learn package, using two different optimization approaches (coordinate descent, implemented in the liblinear library, and stochastic gradient descent, or SGD), to predict mutation status and gene essentiality from gene expression across a variety of pan-cancer driver genes. For varying levels of regularization, we compared performance and model sparsity between optimizers. Results After model selection and tuning, we found that liblinear and SGD tended to perform comparably. liblinear models required more extensive tuning of regularization strength, performing best for high model sparsities (more nonzero coefficients), but did not require selection of a learning rate parameter. SGD models required tuning of the learning rate to perform well, but generally performed more robustly across different model sparsities as regularization strength decreased. Given these tradeoffs, we believe that the choice of optimizers should be clearly reported as a part of the model selection and validation process, to allow readers and reviewers to better understand the context in which results have been generated. Availability and implementation The code used to carry out the analyses in this study is available at https://github.com/greenelab/pancancer-evaluation/tree/master/01_stratified_classification. Performance/regularization strength curves for all genes in the Vogelstein et al. (2013) dataset are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.22728644.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Crawford
- Genomics and Computational Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Maria Chikina
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, United States
| | - Casey S Greene
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, United States
- Center for Health AI, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, United States
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10
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Khatib JB, Nicolae CM, Moldovan GL. Role of Translesion DNA Synthesis in the Metabolism of Replication-associated Nascent Strand Gaps. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168275. [PMID: 37714300 PMCID: PMC10842951 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) is a DNA damage tolerance pathway utilized by cells to overcome lesions encountered throughout DNA replication. During replication stress, cancer cells show increased dependency on TLS proteins for cellular survival and chemoresistance. TLS proteins have been described to be involved in various DNA repair pathways. One of the major emerging roles of TLS is single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gap-filling, primarily after the repriming activity of PrimPol upon encountering a lesion. Conversely, suppression of ssDNA gap accumulation by TLS is considered to represent a mechanism for cancer cells to evade the toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents, specifically in BRCA-deficient cells. Thus, TLS inhibition is emerging as a potential treatment regimen for DNA repair-deficient tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude B Khatib
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA. https://twitter.com/JudeBKhatib
| | - Claudia M Nicolae
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - George-Lucian Moldovan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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Spano D, Catara G. Targeting the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and Recent Advances in Cancer Therapy. Cells 2023; 13:29. [PMID: 38201233 PMCID: PMC10778545 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010029] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitination is a reversible post-translational modification based on the chemical addition of ubiquitin to proteins with regulatory effects on various signaling pathways. Ubiquitination can alter the molecular functions of tagged substrates with respect to protein turnover, biological activity, subcellular localization or protein-protein interaction. As a result, a wide variety of cellular processes are under ubiquitination-mediated control, contributing to the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. It follows that the dysregulation of ubiquitination reactions plays a relevant role in the pathogenic states of human diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, immune-related pathologies and cancer. In recent decades, the enzymes of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), including E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases (DUBs), have attracted attention as novel druggable targets for the development of new anticancer therapeutic approaches. This perspective article summarizes the peculiarities shared by the enzymes involved in the ubiquitination reaction which, when deregulated, can lead to tumorigenesis. Accordingly, an overview of the main pharmacological interventions based on targeting the UPS that are in clinical use or still in clinical trials is provided, also highlighting the limitations of the therapeutic efficacy of these approaches. Therefore, various attempts to circumvent drug resistance and side effects as well as UPS-related emerging technologies in anticancer therapeutics are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Spano
- Institute for Endocrinology and Experimental Oncology “G. Salvatore”, National Research Council, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuliana Catara
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Abstract
Ubiquitination is an essential regulator of most, if not all, signalling pathways, and defects in cellular signalling are central to cancer initiation, progression and, eventually, metastasis. The attachment of ubiquitin signals by E3 ubiquitin ligases is directly opposed by the action of approximately 100 deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) in humans. Together, DUBs and E3 ligases coordinate ubiquitin signalling by providing selectivity for different substrates and/or ubiquitin signals. The balance between ubiquitination and deubiquitination is exquisitely controlled to ensure properly coordinated proteostasis and response to cellular stimuli and stressors. Not surprisingly, then, DUBs have been associated with all hallmarks of cancer. These relationships are often complex and multifaceted, highlighted by the implication of multiple DUBs in certain hallmarks and by the impact of individual DUBs on multiple cancer-associated pathways, sometimes with contrasting cancer-promoting and cancer-inhibiting activities, depending on context and tumour type. Although it is still understudied, the ever-growing knowledge of DUB function in cancer physiology will eventually identify DUBs that warrant specific inhibition or activation, both of which are now feasible. An integrated appreciation of the physiological consequences of DUB modulation in relevant cancer models will eventually lead to the identification of patient populations that will most likely benefit from DUB-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant Dewson
- Ubiquitin Signalling Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Pieter J A Eichhorn
- Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - David Komander
- Ubiquitin Signalling Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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13
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Zhang K, Wu M, Liu Y, Feng Y, Zheng J. KR4SL: knowledge graph reasoning for explainable prediction of synthetic lethality. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:i158-i167. [PMID: 37387166 PMCID: PMC10311291 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Synthetic lethality (SL) is a promising strategy for anticancer therapy, as inhibiting SL partners of genes with cancer-specific mutations can selectively kill the cancer cells without harming the normal cells. Wet-lab techniques for SL screening have issues like high cost and off-target effects. Computational methods can help address these issues. Previous machine learning methods leverage known SL pairs, and the use of knowledge graphs (KGs) can significantly enhance the prediction performance. However, the subgraph structures of KG have not been fully explored. Besides, most machine learning methods lack interpretability, which is an obstacle for wide applications of machine learning to SL identification. RESULTS We present a model named KR4SL to predict SL partners for a given primary gene. It captures the structural semantics of a KG by efficiently constructing and learning from relational digraphs in the KG. To encode the semantic information of the relational digraphs, we fuse textual semantics of entities into propagated messages and enhance the sequential semantics of paths using a recurrent neural network. Moreover, we design an attentive aggregator to identify critical subgraph structures that contribute the most to the SL prediction as explanations. Extensive experiments under different settings show that KR4SL significantly outperforms all the baselines. The explanatory subgraphs for the predicted gene pairs can unveil prediction process and mechanisms underlying synthetic lethality. The improved predictive power and interpretability indicate that deep learning is practically useful for SL-based cancer drug target discovery. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The source code is freely available at https://github.com/JieZheng-ShanghaiTech/KR4SL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zhang
- School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Min Wu
- Institute for Infocomm Research, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138632, Singapore
| | - Yong Liu
- Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Yimiao Feng
- School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 201602, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- School of Information Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Vision and Imaging, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
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Solarczyk K, Kordon-Kiszala M. Let’s not take DNA breaks for granted. The importance of direct detection of DNA breaks for the successful development of DDR inhibitors. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1118716. [PMID: 36968210 PMCID: PMC10034645 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1118716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Successful development of a drug candidate requires availability of robust methods that enable precise and quantitative assessment of the biological effects exerted by the molecule of interest. In case of DNA Damage Response inhibitors, the most proximal readout of their efficiency is the level of induced DNA damage, usually - DNA breaks. Here we review the methods that are currently used for the assessment of the level of DNA damage, with special attention to their specificity and sensitivity. We also discuss the most common problems and challenges related to the classic IF or IHC methods that indirectly report on the activation of DNA repair mechanisms as the downstream effects of occurrence of the DNA lesions. Finally, we highlight the advent of new tools, such as STRIDE, which have the potential to transform the landscape of DDR functional biomarkers.
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