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Santhosh Kumar S, Naseri NN, Pather SR, Hallacli E, Ndayisaba A, Buenaventura C, Acosta K, Roof J, Fazelinia H, Spruce LA, Luk K, Khurana V, Rhoades E, Shalem O. Sequential CRISPR screening reveals partial NatB inhibition as a strategy to mitigate alpha-synuclein levels in human neurons. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj4767. [PMID: 38335281 PMCID: PMC10857481 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj4767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) protein levels correlate with the risk and severity of Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative diseases. Lowering αSyn is being actively investigated as a therapeutic modality. Here, we systematically map the regulatory network that controls endogenous αSyn using sequential CRISPR-knockout and -interference screens in an αSyn gene (SNCA)-tagged cell line and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons (iNeurons). We uncover αSyn modifiers at multiple regulatory layers, with amino-terminal acetyltransferase B (NatB) enzymes being the most potent endogenous αSyn modifiers in both cell lines. Amino-terminal acetylation protects the cytosolic αSyn from rapid degradation by the proteasome in a Ube2w-dependent manner. Moreover, we show that pharmacological inhibition of methionyl-aminopeptidase 2, a regulator of NatB complex formation, attenuates endogenous αSyn in iNeurons carrying SNCA triplication. Together, our study reveals several gene networks that control endogenous αSyn, identifies mechanisms mediating the degradation of nonacetylated αSyn, and illustrates potential therapeutic pathways for decreasing αSyn levels in synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saranya Santhosh Kumar
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nima N. Naseri
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sarshan R. Pather
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Erinc Hallacli
- Division of Movement Disorders and Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alain Ndayisaba
- Division of Movement Disorders and Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chris Buenaventura
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Karen Acosta
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer Roof
- Proteomics Core Facility, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hossein Fazelinia
- Proteomics Core Facility, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lynn A. Spruce
- Proteomics Core Facility, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kelvin Luk
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Vikram Khurana
- Division of Movement Disorders and Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Rhoades
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ophir Shalem
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Friese-Hamim M, Ortiz Ruiz MJ, Bogatyrova O, Keil M, Rohdich F, Blume B, Leuthner B, Czauderna F, Hahn D, Jabs J, Jaehrling F, Heinrich T, Kellner R, Chan K, Tong AH, Wienke D, Moffat J, Blaukat A, Zenke FT. Novel Methionine Aminopeptidase 2 Inhibitor M8891 Synergizes with VEGF Receptor Inhibitors to Inhibit Tumor Growth of Renal Cell Carcinoma Models. Mol Cancer Ther 2024; 23:159-173. [PMID: 37940144 PMCID: PMC10831447 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0102] [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: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
N-terminal processing by methionine aminopeptidases (MetAP) is a crucial step in the maturation of proteins during protein biosynthesis. Small-molecule inhibitors of MetAP2 have antiangiogenic and antitumoral activity. Herein, we characterize the structurally novel MetAP2 inhibitor M8891. M8891 is a potent, selective, reversible small-molecule inhibitor blocking the growth of human endothelial cells and differentially inhibiting cancer cell growth. A CRISPR genome-wide screen identified the tumor suppressor p53 and MetAP1/MetAP2 as determinants of resistance and sensitivity to pharmacologic MetAP2 inhibition. A newly identified substrate of MetAP2, translation elongation factor 1-alpha-1 (EF1a-1), served as a pharmacodynamic biomarker to follow target inhibition in cell and mouse studies. Robust angiogenesis and tumor growth inhibition was observed with M8891 monotherapy. In combination with VEGF receptor inhibitors, tumor stasis and regression occurred in patient-derived xenograft renal cell carcinoma models, particularly those that were p53 wild-type, had Von Hippel-Landau gene (VHL) loss-of-function mutations, and a mid/high MetAP1/2 expression score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manja Friese-Hamim
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Maria J. Ortiz Ruiz
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Olga Bogatyrova
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Marina Keil
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Felix Rohdich
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Beatrix Blume
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Birgitta Leuthner
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Frank Czauderna
- Research Unit Oncology, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts
| | - Diane Hahn
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Julia Jabs
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Frank Jaehrling
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Timo Heinrich
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Roland Kellner
- Discovery Technologies, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Katherine Chan
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amy H.Y. Tong
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dirk Wienke
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jason Moffat
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andree Blaukat
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Frank T. Zenke
- Research Unit Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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Lignet F, Friese-Hamim M, Jaehrling F, El Bawab S, Rohdich F. Preclinical Pharmacokinetics and Translational Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Modeling of M8891, a Potent and Reversible Inhibitor of Methionine Aminopeptidase 2. Pharm Res 2023; 40:3011-3023. [PMID: 37798538 PMCID: PMC10746753 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-023-03611-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION M8891 is a selective and reversible inhibitor of methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAP2). We describe translational research to define the target pharmacokinetics (PK) of M8891 and associated pharmacodynamic (PD) levels, which were used to support efficacious dose selection in humans. METHODS In vitro and in vivo PK characteristics were investigated in animal species, and data integrated using in vitro-in vivo correlation and allometric methods to predict the clearance, volume of distribution, and absorption parameters of M8891 in humans. In parallel, inhibition of MetAP2 activity by M8891 was studied in renal cancer xenografts in mice by measuring accumulation of Met-EF1α, a substrate of MetAP2. The corresponding PD effect was described by a turnover and effect compartment model. This model was used to simulate PD at the M8891 dose showing in vivo efficacy, i.e. significant tumor growth inhibition. Simulations of M8891 PK and associated PD in humans were conducted by integrating predicted human PK parameters into the preclinical PK/PD model. RESULTS The target minimum PD level associated with efficacy was determined to be 125 µg Met-EF1α per mg protein. Integrating predicted human PK parameters into the preclinical PK/PD model defined a minimal M8891 concentration at steady-state (Ctrough) of 1500 ng/mL (3.9 µM) in humans as being required to produce the corresponding minimum target Met-EF1a level (125 µg per mg protein). CONCLUSION The defined target PK and PD levels supported the design of the clinical Phase Ia dose escalation study of M8891 (NCT03138538) and selection of the recommended Phase II dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floriane Lignet
- Drug Discovery Technologies, the Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, 250 Frankfurter Strasse, 64293, Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Manja Friese-Hamim
- Research Unit Oncology, the Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Frank Jaehrling
- Research Unit Oncology, the Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Samer El Bawab
- Translational Medicine, the Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Translational Medicine, Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Felix Rohdich
- Drug Discovery Technologies, the Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, 250 Frankfurter Strasse, 64293, Darmstadt, Germany
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